Dorchester went into this potentially tricky fixture with confidence boosted by last weeks narrow victory and although the final score looks comfortable the game was anything but.
The hosts got off to a flying start when straight from the kick off a poor clearance fell into the arms of James Baker who fed Idris Croft for a simple run in to the left hand corner. Frome's game plan was clearly to keep the ball in the forwards and attack close to the breakdown. A plan that was undermined somewhat by their being soundly beaten in the set scrum.
Ten minutes in and another poor clearance led to Dorchester's second try, this time Ben Hunt strolling into the same left hand corner. Rich Bament narrowly missed with both conversion attempts. Frome finally worked their way into the Dorchester twenty two and this time it was a poor clearance kick from the home side that allowed Frome a lineout only five metres out. They duly won the lineout and rumbled over for the try which was converted with an excellent kick from the touchline.
As the half drew to a close the game began to get a little fractious, Gareth Biddle and the Frome openside were both sent to the cooler for ten minutes but half time arrived with Dorchester leading by three points.
The second period was evenly contested for long periods, Frome continuing to pick and drive, Dorchester trying to attack a little wider but neither side able to break the deadlock. Then, mid way through the half the game was transformed in a couple of minutes. Firstly Bament, who had missed several difficult penalty attempts, made no mistake from in front of the posts when the visitors were caught offside.
Then from the restart Chris Miners found a huge hole in the Frome defence when he was finally stopped he offloaded to James Newsam who set up the ruck, quick ball was spread the full width of the pitch and fullback Lee Harvey crossed for the crucial try. Bament's conversion was the icing on the cake. Frome tried desperately to gain the score that would give them a losing bonus point but Dorchester, who have the most miserly defence in this league, were in no mood to allow them a consolation of any kind.
Acheson Construction man of the match:: James Newsam
Team: Warren, Chalker, Cottell (Duncan 60), Makepeace, Broadbent, Miners, Newsam, Sergison (C Mitchell 20); D Gower, Bament; Baker, Hunt, Croft, Biddle (Cree 75); Harvey:
