Dorchester were well beaten by an Oldfield Old Boys side, to continue there disappointing start to the league campaign. The county town side made a good start to the game with their forwards making a number of good drives around the breakdown area, forcing the Oldboys into conceding a number of penalties. After 8 minutes, Dorchester were rewarded with a penalty when the forwards went through a number of phases, forcing the hosts to kill the ball illegally at the breakdown. Fly half John Firkin converted the three points.
After 11 minutes Oldfield leveled the score after Dorchester's pack became a little too competitive in trying to win the ball back from a ruck and gave away a penalty. The visitors responded almost immediately, when a good chase from Firkin's clever kick resulted in their full back conceding a penalty for not releasing. Firkin from thirty meters out near the left hand touchline slotted over a difficult kick.
The game was opening up nicely for both sides, who were both kicking well from hand in order to seek territorial advantage. After 26 minutes, from a ruck in the middle of the park, Oldfield switched to the narrow side, where their winger kicked and gathered the ball over the incoming defence to score in the corner.
Towards the end of the half the game started to get a bit niggley with both sides losing their discipline. After the referee had spoken strongley to both captains, Dorchester seemed to lose some of their intensity resulting in two scores for the home side on the stroke of half time. The first a penalty after 39 minutes after Dorchester's back row broke from the scrum too early and the second was straight from the restart where poor tackling resulted in a score between the posts, leaving the visitors trailing 18-6 at half time.
Dorchester never really recovered in the second half and in trying to chase the game mistakes were occuring frequently. Oldfield raised their tempo in the second half, with their fly half enjoying an outstanding game. The hosts ran in two quick tries and added a penalty after poor discipline from Dorchester at a ruck.
Dorchester finally showed what they could do after 70 minutes, when from a quick tap penalty, the ball was moved through the backs to Firkin who found himself on the wing. With a strong burst that saw him beat several players he passed to scrum half Dave Gower, who having been held up just short of the line managed to offload the ball to his brother Tom who scored under the posts.
However in the final minutes of the match Oldfield scored again to make the final score 40 -11.
Weatherbury Hearn- SEC - JW Sacffolding Man of the Match - Dave Gower
Dorchester must lift themselves for their next match, where the entertain Sherborne next weekend. 3.00pm k/o
