DORCHESTER 28

SWINDON COLLEGE 36

DORCHESTER’S final weekend of league competition rugby was not to be a winning one as they lost 36-28 to Swindon College Old Boys in the Wadworth 6X Southern Counties South.

The county town side will now be relegated after finishing 11th in the table with 27 points.

For the first quarter Dorchester looked totally off the pace, leaving gaps in the defensive line and falling off numerous tackles and it was no surprise that they trailed by 26 points at one stage during the first half.

The visitors scored four tries and all of them came from Dorchester’s mistakes.

A brief glimmer of resistance came when James Baker got on the outside of his opposite number and fed replacement winger Damon Ashmore who crossed in the corner, before Baker added the extras.

Swindon were still in control however and added a fifth try.

As half-time approached, Baker picked off an interception to go in under the posts and give Dorchester a much-needed boost.

In the second half, Dorchester looked a totally different side.

Dominating for long periods they hardly allowed the visitors to escape their own half.

Cameron Wills crashed over from close range before Joe Prior, who had carried strongly all day, scored his first try for the first team.

Baker converted both of the tries and Dorchester were only three points behind.

This was to be as close as it got as Swindon dug in to prevent any further scores before closing the game out with a try from a lineout.

Newly crowned Wadworth Dorset & Wilts Two South champions Dorchester Seconds headed to North Dorset but were well-beaten 52-10.

In typical fashion North Dorset did their best to spoil the party and took the win.

This did not however, dampen Dorchester’s celebrations as they deservedly collected the league shield as they finished six points ahead of the next side Lytchett Minster and, having only lost four games, the side showed strength resilience and great team spirit to top the table.

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