Dorchester produced a gutsy and determined second half display to deservedly bring back the points from Frome on Saturday.
Playing down the slope and with the wind and rain it was no surprise that Dorchester completely dominated the first half. What was a surprise however, was their failure to cross the Frome try line. The hosts tackled bravely and had a slight edge in the set scrum, also the conditions were not conducive to the type of open, running rugby that Dorchester were trying to play. Several kickable penalties were spurned in favour of kicking to the corner and going for the try, all of which came to nothing. The closest that the visitors came to scoring a try was when Jack Elliott was bundled into the corner flag and half time arrived with Dorchester leading by a solitary James Rossiter penalty goal.
As was to be expected Frome opened the second half camped in the Dorchester twenty-two. Despite sustained pressure on their line Dorchester were holding their heavier opponents until a slip by the front row on the sodden grass led to the referee awarding a totally unjustifiable penalty try. The conversion was missed but Dorchester were now up against it.
The sense of injustice however, seemed to fire the forwards up and they began to dominate proceedings. Rossiter was narrowly wide with a penalty attempt but Dorchester were not to be denied, Rossiter’s pinpoint cross field kick was caught by winger James Baker and in the race for the corner there was only going to be one winner. Rossiter was unable to convert but the visitors were back in front.
There was still plenty of time to go but Dorchester never relaxed and as Frome became increasingly desperate the hosts conceded a string of penalties, mainly for going off their feet at the breakdown. These penalties allowed Dorchester to play the game in the Frome half despite the conditions and short of a couple ‘heart in the mouth’ moments Dorchester dealt with everything that their opponents could throw at them.
Weatherbury Hearn- SEC - JW Scaffolding Man of the Match: Rob Hodges to represent a fine effort from the whole pack.
Team; Hodgson, Chalker, Boyt, Hodges, King, Gower T, Newsam, O’Connell; Gower D, Rossiter; Baker, Gower J, Biddle, Elliott; Bament.
Replacements not used; Cottell, Makepeace, Weller.
