2009/10

First of two encounters within a week as Dorchester entertain Corsham

Dorchester welcome Corsham to Coburg Road tomorrow (3pm) for the first of two encounters with the Wiltshire outfit.

The two sides bring the curtain down on the Southern Counties South season before doing battle once again on Thursday night (7.30pm) in the last four of the Dorset & Wilts Vase.

Head coach Mike Sprules said: “Corsham are going well at the moment and beat second-placed Frome last Saturday so they have picked up a bit.

“We’ve got them again on Thursday in the cup and given that our league position won’t change whatever the outcome tomorrow, it would be nice to get to a final and finish off the season nicely.”

Lee King and Joe Gower are both sidelined with shoulder injuries while Adam Makepeace misses out through unavailability.

Sprules looking for a big finish

DORCHESTER take on lowly Bradford-on-Avon tomorrow (3pm) tasked with gaining their first Southern Counties South win since February 6.

The county town side have gone almost three weeks without a league fixture, with their last triumph coming against rock-bottom Ivel Barbarians.

Mike Sprules’ men will be considered favourites going into tomorrow’s trip but the head coach has warned against complacency.

He said: “Bradford did not start the season well but they’ve picked up of late and ran Tadley close. We have dropped a place in the table having not played for a while so we’re keen to pick up as many points as we can.

“If someone had said to me in September that we would finish fifth or sixth I would have been chuffed to bits but in the position we are now we want to finish higher.”

Long-term injury victims Rich Bament (ankle) and James Baker (wrist) remain the only absentees.

Dorset & Wilts Vase - Dorchester travel to Melksham

The county town side are in Dorset & Wilts Vase action on Saturday, paired with lower-ranked outfit Melksham (2.30pm).

The hosts lie second in Dorset & Wilts One North so will fancy their chances of gaining a shock result against Mike Sprules’ charges.

If selected tomorrow, it will be a busy weekend for Dorchester’s James Newsam as he is set to represent Dorset & Wilts Under-20s in their RFU County Championship quarter-final clash with Middlesex on Sunday (2.15pm).

The last-eight encounter takes place at Chapel Gate with the winner moving one step closer to Twickenham.

Dorchester entertain Wimborne

Dorchester return to Southern Counties South action with the visit of table-topping Wimborne (2.30pm).

The county town side, who were without a game last weekend, will be keen to avenge the 25-5 defeat they suffered in East Dorset three months ago.

Dorset & Wilts Vase

Dorchester have been handed a walkover by Swindon - The next round is away to Melksham of Dorset & Wilts 1 North on 27 March. Melksham website

Dorchester, who look set to be joined in Southern Counties South by Bridport next season, entertain league leaders Frome tomorrow (2.30pm).

Victory would put the county town side three points behind tomorrow’s visitors, but having played one game more.

Head coach Mike Sprules said: “We’re under no illusions. We’re not yet complete enough to win the league but we want to finish as high as we can and perhaps have a say in who does win it.

“When we last played Frome we had a good game and it was one we lost more than they won. Tomorrow we have a chance to put that right.”

Sprules: Devizes are no easy ride

Dorchester head coach Mike Sprules has warned his players not to expect an easy ride at Devizes tomorrow (2.30pm).

The county town side enjoyed a handsome 66-3 victory over tomorrow’s opponents back in mid-November but Sprules is anticipating a much tougher assignment at London Road.

He said: “Devizes were really struggling for a team when we last played them so I don’t expect to see a repeat of that.

“We’re expecting a tough game as they have played very well at home lately and a lot of teams have struggled there, so when they are on song they are a good side.

“If we put in a performance like we did against North Dorset last week we will be in with a good shout – anything less and Devizes will take advantage.”

James Rossiter is unavailable tomorrow so Adrian Jones will fill in at fly-half with Gareth Biddle moving into the centre.

Dorchester hoping to overturn the previous encounters result

Dorchester entertain an out-of-sorts North Dorset tomorrow, hoping to inflict a fourth straight defeat on their Southern Counties South rivals.

North Dorset’s winless run stretches back to mid-December while the county town side enter the clash on the back of three consecutive victories.

However, Mike Sprules’ side is be wary of tomorrow’s visitors, who enjoyed a 27-7 victory in November’s reverse fixture between the two teams. He said, "They are a strong side and have a couple of games in hand and only two places below us so its important we are on our metal from the word go".

A XV fixture cancelled, Fordingbridge can't raise a side

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Brothers to take on Barbarians

Gower brothers Dave, Tom and Joe are all set to start alongside one another for the first time tomorrow (2pm) as the county town side eye a third straight win in Southern Counties South.

Head coach Mike Sprules is also keen to see his men protect their unbeaten record at Coburg Road.

He said: “We made hard work of last weekend’s game against Minety but we got there in the end. The lads felt they let themselves down against Sherborne a month ago but we have picked up since then, which is good.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to keep up our unbeaten home record tomorrow.”

Of tomorrow’s opponents, Sprules added: “They appear to be doing a bit better this year, plus it’s a local derby and we do have a few guys missing.”

Justin Miller and James Newsam are both injured while Callum Hawkins is unavailable. However, Richard Elliott returns to the fold.

Please note that Saturdays kick off times are brought forward to 2.00

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Dorchester travel to Minety after getting back to winning ways

Dorchester travel to Minety hoping to embark on a similar run that saw the county town side win six games on the bounce earlier this season.

Mike Sprules charges halted the slide of four defeats in five Southern Counties South outings with a much-needed victory over Tadley last weekend.

And Dorchester’s head coach will be urging his players to follow suit when they take on third from bottom Minety, whom they defeated 44-11 three months ago.

He said " we are looking to build on last weeks victory and with no more additions to the list of injuries we are looking to consolidate our position".

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Dorchester look for Tadley turnaround

DORCHESTER will be looking to put an end to their recent slump with victory over mid-table Tadley at Coburg Road tomorrow (2.30pm).

The county town side have suffered four defeats in their last five Southern Counties South fixtures with the latest reversal coming in the Dorset derby with Sherborne six days ago.

And head coach Mike Sprules is hoping for a repeat result of October’s 36-32 triumph at Tadley.

He said: “We had a hard-fought game at their place and tomorrow won’t be easy. We just need to knuckle down and do our best to get that elusive win to put us back on track.

“Last week was a frustrating game, things just don’t seem to be going our way. Having said that, you can’t always rely on the rub of the green, you have to make your own luck.

“We’ve been picking up a few injuries recently and the team is not as settled as it was earlier in the season.”

Rich Bament (ankle) and Tim Cuzens (knee) have been joined on the treatment table by Rob Hodges, who has sprung the AC joint in his shoulder and could be out for the rest of the season.

On a positive note, prop Dave Cottell is back in contention following a nine-month lay-off with neck and shoulder problems.

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Sprules: Watch out for a Sher backlash

Dorchester head coach Mike Sprules is wary of a Sherborne backlash ahead of tomorrow’s derby date in Southern Counties South (2.30pm).

The fourth-placed county town outfit enjoyed a 27-14 victory when the two rivals last met in October, and Sprules believes fifth-placed Sher will be desperate to settle the score.

First and foremost, Sprules is keeping his fingers crossed that tomorrow’s game defeats the adverse weather conditions of late having seen his side inactive for almost a month now.

He said: “Our pitch was rock solid earlier in the week so we can only hope that Sherborne’s is playable come tomorrow.

“They’ll be keen to avenge the defeat from earlier in the season, plus they’ve got a game in hand on us and they’re only two points below us in the table.

“It’s very tight where we are in the table so this is a game we don’t want to let slip.”

Dorchester’s Rich Bament remains sidelined with an ankle injury but Gareth Biddle is back in contention.

Sprules added: “Apart from Rich’s injury, which is looking like it might be a long-term one, we are pretty much at full strength. Selection is a bit of a headache but it’s a nice problem to have.”

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County town target Bradford on Avon

Dorchester hope for a return to winning ways when they welcome Bradford-on-Avon to Coburg Road tomorrow (2.30pm).

The county town side, back in Southern Counties South after last season’s promotion, have seen their title hopes faded somewhat following back-to-back defeats against two of their rivals.

But Mike Sprules’ men are determined to bounce back in spectacular fashion as they prepare to take on rock-bottom Bradford, who are still searching for their first win of the campaign.

Head coach Sprules said: “We were left a bit frustrated last Saturday. We matched Wimborne in every department but we just didn’t finish them off. That’s been our problem of late and it’s difficult to put my finger on why we’re not quite doing it.

“Hopefully we’ll have the chance to regain some confidence tomorrow but we won’t be taking Bradford lightly as you can’t afford to do that with any team in this league.”

Dorchester though, still have their injury problems with Tim Cuzens (knee) being joined on the sidelines by Rich Bament (ankle) and Rob Hodges (thumb).

Sprules added: “Tim’s injury isn’t as bad as it could be, he doesn’t need an operation but we won’t see him again until the New Year.

“Rich hasn’t broken anything but there is damage to his ankle so he’ll be out for a while. Rob though, did break his thumb and I reckon we’ve had as many games this season as broken bones.”

Adam Makepeace will be called up from the second team to replace Hodges while Tom Bamlett returns having been unavailable for the trip to Wimborne

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Dorchester visit Wimborne in Southern Counties South tomorrow (2.30pm), looking to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to Frome.

Head coach Mike Sprules was disappointed to see victory “slip away” last time out and is urging his players to make amends at fourth-placed Wimborne.

Reflecting on only the county town side’s second defeat of the campaign, Sprules said: “We felt it was one we let slip away as we felt we could have won the game. We didn’t quite finish off our moves and for some reason we lacked a cutting edge in the backs.

“It’ll be nice to get back out there tomorrow but it will be another hard game for us as Wimborne are just one spot below us in the table. We will be going there looking for the points though.”

Tim Cuzens, who dislocated his kneecap in last Saturday’s loss, is today expected to discover how long he will be confined to the sidelines while Tom Bamlett misses out tomorrow through unavailability.

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Dorchester's title test

DORCHESTER’S title credentials will be put to the test tomorrow as they travel to second-placed Frome (2.30pm).

The county town side sit third in Southern Counties South but level on points with both Frome and current leaders North Dorset.

Mike Sprules’ men only achieved promotion last season but have been thrust into a potential title race courtesy of seven league wins from eight.

“They are one of the sides who are on the same number of points as us so it’s going to be a hard one,” said Sprules. “We beat Devizes 66-3 but in the North Dorset game we showed them too much respect.

“I’m looking for us to carry on playing our style of rugby. Frome have got a strong pack but we’ll look to move them around and tire them out.

“But the weather forecast isn’t too good, which would benefit them more than it would benefit us.”

Winger James Baker broke his wrist against Devizes but Rich Bament looks set to return after a six-week absence with an achilles injury.

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Dorchester need to bounce back

DORCHESTER head coach Mike Sprules is calling for a positive reaction from his players ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Devizes (2.30pm).

The county town side saw their 100 per cent record come to end last Saturday as a 27-7 defeat at North Dorset removed them from the Southern Counties South summit.

Sprules is hoping to see his men return to winning ways at Coiburg Road tomorrow. He said: “The guys have taken the loss on the chin and tomorrow will be a test to see how we react to the defeat. Hopefully we’ll put right a few wrongs.

“Devizes are renowned for having big packs so hopefully we’ll be able to move the ball around and get back to winning ways. It’s about showing our strength of character.

“Nobody expected us to be where we are, but we’re there on merit so let’s not let it drop.”

Tim Cuzens and Callum Hawkins are both absent for Dorchester, who have won three out three on home turf.

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Dorchester travel to North Dorset

Southern Counties League South Division leaders Dorchester travel to third-placed North Dorset tomorrow (2.30pm) looking to fend off their near-neighbours, who will leapfrog the county town side should they win.

Dorchester coach Mike Sprules said: “It’s going to be a hard game, especially at their place, and obviously they are smarting at the fact they were defeated for the first time last week down at Frome. We’ll probably face a bit of a backlash from that.”

A wedding and international weekend means skipper Dave Gower, James Newson, Tom Gower and Lee Harvey will all be missing from Dorchester’s squad.

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Dorchester face basement boys

Unbeaten Dorchester hope to maintain their dream start to life in Southern Counties South when they face lowly Minety at Coburg Road (2.30pm).

Tomorrow’s visitors are rooted to the foot of the table with five defeats from five and just 16 points scored in total, as opposed to a whopping 258 conceded.

In stark contrast, the county town side have recorded five straight victories with only points difference keeping them off top spot.

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Dorchester’s Tadley trip

DORCHESTER visit Tadley tomorrow (3pm) and head coach Mike Sprules admits it will be a “trip into the unknown”.

The county town side are riding the crest of a wave right now having won all four of their opening games in Southern Counties South.

Next up is a clash with mid-table side Tadley, who are currently unbeaten on home turf.

Sprules said: “We don’t know a lot about them so it will be a trip into the unknown. We’ll just go there, play our own game and hope that we do enough.

“We’re not having much luck with injuries though and Gareth Biddle is now out for six weeks with knee ligament damage.

“However, that means Dave Gower, who was on the bench last Saturday, will step in.”

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Broken arm rules out Hodgson

Dorchester have experienced mixed emotions ahead of tomorrow’s derby with Sherborne at Coburg Road (3pm).

The county town side have been boosted by the return from injury of skipper Dave Gower (broken thumb), but rocked by the news that vice-captain Steve Hodgson will be out for a month after breaking his arm in last Saturday’s 25-17 Southern Counties win at Ivel Barbarians.

Head coach Mike Sprules said: “Steve broke his arm last week and he’ll be out for four weeks, which is a real shame because he’s an inspirational player.

“Dave though has had his plaster off and he’s got full mobility so he’ll start on the bench. He’s desperate to get going but we want to do things the right way.”

Dylan Williams and Tim Cuzens are available once again while Rich Borries or Todd Richards will replace the injured Hodgson.

Sprules was disappointed by his side’s display in the victory over struggling Ivel and has urged his men to up their game ahead of the clash with rivals Sherborne.

He added: “Sherborne have managed to recruit well over the summer and they had a good win over Frome last weekend. We didn’t play well at all against Ivel but we got away with it and hopefully the players will now know that they can’t make the same mistake twice.”

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Sprules: Be wary of the Barbarians

Headcoach Mike Sprules is refusing to get “carried away” by Dorchester’s impressive start to the Southern Counties South campaign.

The county town side, who earned promotion last season by capturing the Dorset & Wilts One South title, have enjoyed two victories from their opening two games.

But Sprules has warned his players against complacency ahead of tomorrow’s trip to lowly Ivel Barbarians (3pm).

He said: “We had another pleasing result last week against Oldfield Old Boys but we don’t want to get carried away.

“Nobody wants to get relegated but last year we used it to better ourselves and it appears to be paying off. We’re pleased with how we’ve started but we won’t be falling into any grand illusions."

Of tomorrow’s clash with the Barbarians, Sprules added: “It’s a local derby, past results don’t mean anything, and I’m sure they’ll be desperate to get themselves moving.”

Dorchester will be without Tim Cuzens, who is unavailable, but Lee King returns from holiday.

Dorchester are also looking to continue their impressive start to the season when they host Oldfield Old Boys in Southern Counties South (3pm).

Old Boys lost 40-0 on the opening day while the county town side enjoyed a 38-20 triumph at Corsham.

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DORCHESTER mark their return to Southern Counties South with a trip to Corsham tomorrow (3pm).

"IT is back to reality." That is the verdict of Dorchester coach Mike Sprules as his side prepare to resume their Southern Counties South membership this Saturday.

The County Town XV return having won the Dorset & Wilts One South title and head to Corsham for their first game of the new season.

Sprules said: "After the joy of going up, we know we have some big challenges ahead of us and is keen to stay put this time around. He said: “We don’t want to just concentrate on not being in the relegation zone, we’ve got to be sensible but try and do as well as we can. If we finish half-way I’ll be happy.”

"Corsham were fourth last season. It is certainly not going to be an easy game but it will give us a little indication of what we can expect for the rest of this season.

"The only thing that is a bit awkward for us at the moment is we are going to come up against sides who we have not played for two seasons."

Sprules is eager for Dorchester to play their open, passing game despite a step up in standard.

He said: "We are not going to be quite as big as some of the opposing packs. If we run them down a bit I am sure opportunities will arise for us and I hope our style will enable us to stay in matches."

Sprules is due to have a similar squad to that of last season. "There is not a huge amount of changes," he said. "We have not got too many new faces but we do have some old ones coming back from university which is nice to see."

Captain Dave Gower is out for a month with a broken thumb while second row Dan Underhill is struggling with a hip problem.

However, new signing Dylan Williams is expected to start in the back row tomorrow.

Dorchester's first home game of the campaign is in the preliminary round of the RFU Intermediate Cup – against Newbury Stags on 19 September.