PUDDLETOWN 32

SWANAGE & WAREHAM II 22

PUDDLETOWN overcame Swanage & Wareham Seconds 32-22 at Greenfields to earn their second Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts One South victory of the season.

Thankfully, the horizontal freezing rain that had lashed Greenfields on Saturday morning had passed and the sun came out prior to kick off on what was still a chilly afternoon. The two teams lined up against each other, both looking to improve on their recent losing runs which had left them sitting ninth and 11th respectively in the league table.

Puddle started the brighter, playing their own brand of fast, running rugby. Within six minutes centre Matt Watts made a great pick-up in midfield, his centre partner Tom Yeatman chipped through to left wing John Moise, who popped it back inside for veteran full-back Baz Dovell to score an unconverted try.

Swans started to play to their strengths in the pack and employed some ‘one out’ driving forward play. From a five-metre line-out they rumbled over to level the scores after 15 minutes.

Within five minutes, Swans took the lead, with the referee playing a penalty advantage, their influential inside centre kicked through for the winger to pick up and score in the corner.

Yeatman narrowed the gap to two points with a penalty in front of the posts and on 30 minutes Puddle regained the lead.

After a penalty advantage, quick hands once again saw the ball out on the left with Moise who on this occasion provided the scoring pass back inside to Matt Watts who went over to score.

Watts was also the beneficiary of a rampaging break through centre field by number eight Pearce Mercer, he broke through the Swans’ defence from his own half, with Yeatman backing up and providing the link to his centre partner Watts to score his second try in quick succession, Yeatman adding the conversion.

The Villagers secured their try-scoring bonus point on the brink of half-time. Mercer picked up at the base of a scrum, the ball was recycled quickly through the rampant back line with Watts this time turning provider for Moise to go over in the corner to make it 25-10 at the break.

Swans started the second half applying pressure down the hill, their back line employing some crisp pop passing out of tackles to go over to score in the corner.

However, Puddletown extended their lead again with a fantastic converted try, scored under the posts by flanker Chris Haynes after hooker Jez Beale had made a searing break through the visitors’ defence from halfway. Yeatman added the extras.

With the clock running down, Swans pushed hard to try and gain their own try-scoring bonus point and with the last play of the game their number eight picked up from a five-metre scrum and drove into the home defence, leaving a hole for their centre to burst through to score a converted try, making the final score 32-22.

Puddletown head coach Paul Chidley was pleased with the result and the attacking bonus point. He especially praised his young prop pairing of Oli Saunders and Calum Williams who are improving in every game they play.

Puddletown are away to Oakmeadians on Saturday.

Man of the match: Oli Saunders

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