PUDDLETOWN RFC 32

BOURNEMOUTH THIRDS 19

PUDDLETOWN took a brilliant 32-19 victory over Bournemouth Thirds to claim a much-needed win in Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts One South.

The home side went into this game knowing that the five points gained with the impressive victory in their last league outing had been wiped as North Dorset Seconds have withdrawn from the league.

However, this seemed to inspire the home side who showed the same attacking flair and stout defence as they did two weeks ago.

Puddletown were first to score with right-wing James House finishing off a sweeping move across the pitch from a scrum to go over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Within five minutes it was the turn of left-wing Tom Doyle to show his pace, breaking through from the front of a lineout on halfway and sprinting around the defence to score, with James Elwood converting.

Soon after, Elwood added another three points after the visitors had been penalised for not releasing in the tackle.

In a nervy two minutes just before the break, Bournemouth scored two converted tries to make it 15-14 at half-time.

In the second half the Villagers put the Bournemouth side under pressure with phases in their 22.

The referee awarded Puddletown a penalty on the five-metre line and they opted for the scrum, and great pressure from the front-row held the scrum solid and number eight Ollie Whitfield picked up to barrel over and score, with Tom Yeatman converting.

Bournemouth fought back, and it was their turn to exert pressure on the home side’s try-line.

Several penalties were conceded by Puddletown and eventually Bournemouth fed the ball out wide and went over in the corner to score an unconverted try to narrow the gap to three points.

The try scoring bonus point was secured for the home side when Whitfield made a break through the heart of the Bournemouth defence, before he neatly off-loaded to Yeatman who had the pace to go round the struggling defence to score an unconverted try.

In the dying minutes of the game the Puddletown pack won a lineout outside the Bournemouth 22, and the ball was caught cleanly and driven swiftly forward and over the line, with hooker Jez Beale touching down to make the final score 32-19.

Puddletown head coach Paul Chidley named rookie loose-head prop Callum Williams his man of the match and his side now look forward to the next league fixture away at Bridport on December 1.

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