Dorchester up to third

DESPITE playing 50 minutes a man short, Dorchester climbed to third in Southern Counties South with victory over Dorset rivals Wimborne.

The visitors started well at Coburg Road, gaining position in Dorch-ester’s 22 and several phases later earning a penalty in front of the posts, which was duly converted.

Five minutes later, James Baker equalised with a penalty of his own before Wimborne bagged the opening try.

From a line-out close to the home try-line they went for the drive, and although Dorchester managed to halt their progress, a couple of pick and drives saw the away side eventually cross.

Again Baker was on hand to level the scores, this time with a try in the left-hand corner following a fine run by number eight Matt Bonner.

By now the hosts’ customary dominance at the scrum was having an effect and from one such advancing scrum Dave Gower was able to feed Matt Read for an easy score by the posts. Baker’s conversion stretched the lead to seven points.

With half an hour gone, the county town side were reduced to 14 men when Toby Waddington was sent off for a reckless tip-tackle on the Wimborne full-back.

Sensing their chance, the visitors went on the attack and a drop goal from their outside-half narrowed the gap.

But the hosts again benefited from their advantage at the scrum, this time Gower was hauled down inches short and James Newsam was on hand to pick up and dive over. Baker popped over the easy conversion to bring the first half to a close.

The numerical disadvantage seemed to have little effect on Dorchester as they dominated Wimborne territorially throughout the second period.

Baker narrowly missed with a couple of penalty attempts and several try-scoring opportunities were wasted, but the visitors were posing no threat at all.

Even when Rich Bament had to leave the game injured with 15 minutes left and the county town had to re-jig their already unfamiliar back line they never looked like conceding any more points.

Indeed it was the home side who were to have the final word – Baker going over for his second try, this time in the right-hand corner, to earn his team a bonus point and lift them into the top three.

Dorchester: Warren, Chalker, Cottell (Bamlet 60), Makepeace, C Mitchell, Miners, Newsam, Bonner (Skidmore 17), D Gower, Bament (Cree 65), Baker, Waddington, Harvey, Fry, Read.

Man of the Match: Adam Makepeace