Dorchester went into this game knowing that anything less than a win would leave them with a mountain to climb if they were to avoid relegation. The afternoon did not start well however, when hooker Mat Chalker injured a shoulder in the warm up and had to be replaced by Simon Pengelly.
The late change did not appear to unsettle the side as they tore into their hosts right from the start. Ivel gave away a string of penalties culminating in a simple three points for John Firkin. The home side finally settled down and they began to try use the wind to gain field position. Dorchester’s back three were rarely under pressure and dealt with the tactic quite comfortably. Ivel’s driving maul on the other hand was causing the visitors problems and from one such drive the ball was spun left and the fullback was on hand to cross in the left hand corner.
The conversion was missed but Ivel now led 5-3. Dorchester did not allow their heads to drop and, keeping the ball in the pack they dominated both territory and possession for the rest of the half. They also managed to score two tries. Firstly winger James Baker found some space out wide and, showing good pace, he skinned his opposite number and then rounded the fullback to touch down near the posts. Firkin added the extra points. Then it was Dorchester’s turn to benefit from a tight driving maul. Ivel just managed to hold the drive on the line but Dave Gower peeled off and fed scrum half Luke Weller who dived over in the corner. Firkin was unable to convert this time but Dorchester went into the break leading by ten points.
Stern words from the Ivel coaching staff and a touch of complacency in the Dorchester ranks saw the hosts raise their game and dominate the third quarter of the game. They camped on the Dorchester line for long periods and eventually the pressure told, he forwards driving over under the posts. The simple conversion was kicked and the game was back in the balance.
Ivel continued to press and only desperate, and illegal, defending prevented another try. Simon Pengelly was however sent to the sin bin for ten minutes and the game seemed to be slipping from Dorchester's grasp. As so often happens, the sin binning seemed to galvanise the defenders and, with Ivel inexplicably refusing to kick several simple penalties, they mange to lift the siege without conceding any further points.
Mat Chalker’s arrival at hooker seemed to lift his two props and the visitors began to dominate both the scrum and the breakdown area. As the minutes ticked away Ivel appeared to sense that they had missed their chance and most of the play was in the Ivel half. John Firkin narrowly missed with two long range penalty attempts before the game was finally wrapped up. James Spensley winning the race for the ball as it rolled into the In Goal area. Firkin was unable to convert the try but the eight point lead meant that Ivel needed to score twice and the last few minutes were played out in relative comfort.
Dorchester are still in the relegation zone but with only two sides going down they have given themselves a fighting chance of survival.
Team:- Hodgson, Pengelly (Chalker 60), Weston, Hodges, Prior, Brown, Newsam, Gower D; Weller, Firkin; Spensley, Read, Waddington T, Baker; Bament;
Replacements not used; Richards, Borries
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