|
Dorchester came out on top in this local derby but were made to work hard for each and every score.
Playing into the breeze the home side were immediately on the attack, pinning Bridport close to their own line and forcing them to concede a series of penalties. Eventually the referee lost patience and dispatched one of the Bridport props to the bin. The visitors however refused to cave in and, due to combination of brave defending and a lack of composure on Dorchester’s part, managed to keep their line intact.
Twenty minutes in and Dorchester finally broke the deadlock, Rich Bament kicking a penalty from thirty metres. Straight from the restart Dorchester’s forwards stood and watched as the Bridport winger latched on to the kick, chipped over the last defender and then won the race to touch down for a try out of nothing. Dorchester, stunned by the setback, went back on to the attack and within minutes No 8 Carl Mitchell had forced his way over for an unconverted try to retake the lead.
Again Dorchester failed to deal with the restart kick and as a result found themselves under pressure. Bridport retained possession well for several phases and eventually the forwards drove over near to the posts making the conversion a formality and putting them back in the lead. As the first period came to its end Dorchester retook the lead, winger Jamie Morgan scoring on his return from injury, Bament’s conversion made the half time score fifteen points to twelve.
The second half started with a bang as Bament showed his strength to hold off a couple of tacklers and touch down in the right hand corner. The conversion kick shaved the wrong side of the post but Dorchester were now looking comfortable.
Totally dominating the set pieces and winning the majority of the ball it was only a lack of precision that meant that the next score was so long in coming, James Newsam the beneficiary of a planned lineout manoeuvre which led to him scoring between the posts and securing the bonus point.
Captain Dave Gower crossed for Dorchester’s fifth try in the final few minutes but Bridport did have the consolation of a converted try with the last play of the match, their left winger outpacing the defence and touching down under the posts.
Match pictures from Idris Martin - click here
Team: Bamlet (Cottell 70), Pengelly, Prior, Hodges, Broadbent (Makepeace 60), Gower J, Newsam (Miller 60), Mitchell; D Gower, Hunt; Morgan, Clifford, Harvey, Bament; Read;
|
