Mixed start to the season really with several false dawns bringing us up to this weekends fixture: A hard fought but well played friendly loss against Ivel was followed by a loss to Bournemouth, a game we really should have won (though Bournemouth are still undefeated), followed by a good friendly win against the Police. False dawn no. 1 as the following week we struggled to raise a team and were well and truly beaten by newly promoted Ellingham and Ringwood. Back to full strength we inflicted North Dorset's first and so far only defeat (false dawn no.2), followed by a loss to Swanage and Wareham III's who we dominated in the first half, yet a lack of confidence and infighting meant we lacked the spirit to get back into the game once we were behind.
Strangely enough though it's not just football that's a funny old game, Salisbury so far this season beat Bridport 39-8 (who in turn beat Swans 58-0), yet Salisbury also lost 5-114 to Sherborne (who in turn lost 27-14 to North Dorset) so no one really knew what to expect and we weren't even sure if they'd turn up. However turn up they did so just as well we'd selected a team to play them:
- 1. Alex 'I can't say anything bad about him in case his pupils read this' Duncan
- 2. Simon 'Stepping up to the plate' Pengelly
- 3. Mike 'Always has to leave early when he can't pay his subs' Solway
- 4. Ian 'Through the pain' Dixon
- 5. James 'Back where I belong' Harris
- 6. Rob 'Master finisher' Woods
- 7. Jamie 'I just can't get into it' Critchley
- 8. Tony 'Half match' O'Connell
- 9. Dan 'The man' Cree
- 10. Anthony 'I was so good a fly half at u11's Bones had to play centre' Biswell
- 11. Jordan 'Tweedle dum' Mockett
- 12. Justin 'I can play anywhere' Miller
- 13. Leigh 'This is my moment' Ford
- 14. Owen 'Tweedle dee' Spratt
- 15. Dave 'Can you hear me from back here' Clark
- 16. Ross 'Can we train everyday' McClaren
- 17. James 'I ain't no bench warmer' Ashdown
- 18. Bill 'Hard core' Gates
- 19. Jim 'So good I only need to arrive at half time' Rossiter
- 20. Tom 'Migrain' Clifford
- 21. Joe the new boy
Prior to k.o. there was a nervous energy to the team with the words of Mike Sprules the head coach still in our ears from Thursday, that defeat was unthinkable, and to win by fewer points playing a structured game the Dorchester way was better then to win big playing unstructured school boy rugby, and so it was with a calm intensity we set about our game plan. Early exchanges were mixed with Salisbury having the vastly bigger forwards and a useful set of backs, but with a settled look to the home side we began to dominate play, making breaks, securing fast ball, fluid interchanges between forwards and backs, plus a solid platform at the lineout and scrum meant it wasn't long before holes began to appear in the away defence and tries were scored.
Justin Miller on his way to a second man of the match performance in as many weeks led the charge, always making ground and making himself a target for the forwards to aim at and getting a well deserved try in each half, but there was a time in the first period we lost our way. As appears to be our want, there was a problem with try line fever again, players forgetting the numbers on their back and everyone trying to carry the ball into contact rather then keep the ball moving which meant there was frequent turn over ball in the contact area until we calmed down and went back to plan A resulting in more well worked tries.
Biswell making his debut at fly half had an excellent game, scoring under the posts after several drives from the forwards, Clarke also having an excellent game at fullback managed to avoid several tackles and dive over the line for a score after some good hands from the backs. Rob Woods managed to also get in on the action, after another move involving forwards and backs saw Jam held up just short of the line, Salisbury managed to turn the ball over but left it resting on the try line so that Rob only had to reach over and apply pressure for the try to be allowed.
Jordan and Owen desperate to get in on the action both made several blistering breaks only to find themselves getting caught by the last man or being hauled into touch, or additionally in Owen's case throwing the ball forward in contact. There was some very good team play, and some awful individual play in the first half, with Salisbury's forwards driving over from a lineout 5m's out showing what they could do if given a chance, but in all honestly the half time score 24-5 whilst not reflecting our dominance, it did reflect our inconsistencies.
After the break Salisbury to their credit tried their best to keep the ball with their larger forwards, and losing our heads we tried to take them on rather then stick to our game plan, but strong tackling kept Salisbury at bay, and right at the death Justin got his second try of the match converted nicely so that the game finished 31-5.
Men of the match were an easy pick as Justin Miller and Anthony Biswell were both head and shoulders above everyone else, whilst Mupphet's of the match took more thought, but we eventually settled on Ian Dixon for his constant moaning at having to play second row, plus Jam collecting this award for the second time having tried a 'Gary Owen', not something a second row should be doing!!!!!
Look out soon for our new section on the website: 'Knowing me Tony O'Connell, knowing you...' where I will be interviewing a different player each week so you can get to know them better.
