PUDDLETOWN 38

EAST DORSET DOCKERS 17

PUDDLETOWN climbed up the Tribute Dorset & Wilts One South table with a 38-17 win over East Dorset Dockers at Greenfields.

Puddle started the day in seventh place with the Dockers two places above them but, after a stirring bonus-point victory, the home side leapfrogged their foe into fifth place.

On a glorious afternoon for rugby the crowd at Greenfields were served up a treat and the Villagers came out the stronger, scoring first with a try from rookie right-wing Ben Hooper who was the beneficiary of smart interplay by Sam Pomeroy and Brad Harris.

Hooper still had work to do and did well to get under the posts, skipper Tom Nixon adding the extras.

READ MORE: Swanage & Wareham Seconds 22-27 Puddletown - match report

Hooper turned provider for the home side’s second try, this time with a strong cross-field run he offloaded to Pomeroy who popped the ball to his back-row partner Joe Malpas to score under the posts, Nixon again converting.

Hooper was once again involved in Puddletown’s third and most adventurous try.

From a scrum on their own five-metre line, the ball came out to full-back Davies, he chipped the ball forward for Hooper to catch it cleanly and make 30 metres into the Dockers' half.

Second row Tom Nickisson took the ball on, fed it back to Davies who popped it up for centre Elliott Frampton to score, Nixon notching the conversion.

Despite being three converted tries down the East Dorset side battled hard and scored an unconverted try from a tap penalty after a late tackle from Sam Knott.

Before the break Puddletown scored their bonus-point try with a driving maul from a line-out, the ball taken in by Dickie Watts and then recycled to Knott who barrelled over for an unconverted try.

East Dorset started the second half with the wind in their sails and seemed rejuvenated especially in the scrum. In quick succession they scored two short-range tries, one from a number eight pick-up and the other from a driving maul.

At 26-17 it looked like the ascendancy was in the favour of the visitors but strong defence from the home side held the onslaught.

With the Puddletown back division being expertly marshalled by the veteran Baz Dovell at fly-half, it was the home side to score next with a sweeping move across the line and Harris cutting a great line to split the defence and go over to score an unconverted try.

Fittingly, Puddletown’s man of the match Hooper was again provider for their sixth and final try.

A poor clearance kick from East Dorset was caught cleanly by Hooper just inside the opposition half, he ran it back into the heart of the defence, sucking in three or four defenders and slipped the ball to Knott who ran in unopposed from 20 metres out.

Nixon added the conversion to complete the scoring.

Puddletown coach Sam Cload said: "It was good to get back on the horse after the disappointing defeat at Bridport last time out.

"The boys played some great attacking rugby and deserved the win against some tough opposition."

On Saturday, Puddletown are away for their penultimate game of the season against Wimborne Seconds.