DORCHESTER GLADIATORS 44

SALISBURY IV 24

DORCHESTER Gladiators overcame Salisbury Fourths 44-24 in difficult playing conditions at Coburg Road in Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts Three South.

The county town club marked Remembrance weekend in a very poignant way, with the referee using a replica WW1 officer’s whistle to mark the start and finish of the minute’s silence in remembrance of the Armistice.

Salisbury travelled with a number of players missing so had to rely on Dorchester’s generosity and large bench and it was those home players who did the damage and put the visitors in front at half-time.

One of hosts’ joint head coaches, Eral Anderson, made his Gladiators’ debut. He soon scored a try and turned provider for another.

Gaining more senior rugby experience, Louis Verkaik picked up a hat-trick of tries and Nick Lorimer also managed to get his name on the scoresheet, slicing through the opposition to collect another five-point haul.

The Gladiators now lie second in the league table.

Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland Ladies put up a strong fight, going down 15-10 in the dying minutes of a tough encounter with Basingstoke.

Tanya Adams and Meg Roper both scored the tries, with Roper’s being her first for the team.

Dorchester Rugby Club laid a wreath at the cenotaph on Sunday.

Club president Bob Andrews, former first team coach, player and successful junior coach Mike Sprules and club member Callum Daly represented the players, youth section and members of the club in the Armistice centenary service.