Dorking vs Guildford Colts – Match Report, 3 March 2024
After their recent National Cup exertions, the Dorking Reds team had enjoyed a well-earned break. On Sunday they returned to competitive action, with a visit to Guildford in the last of their Harlequins Cup group matches. This was going to be yet another tough fixture with Guildford welcoming back a number of boys post-Christmas and both teams unbeaten – with very similar results – in the first two rounds of the competition.
Dorking had trained hard during their ‘rest’ period and looked in excellent shape coming into this fixture, determined to maintain their unbeaten run in all competitions this season.
Guildford had pulled out all the stops in getting this fixture on despite the flooding elsewhere in the area. This had extended to asking supports to bring garden forks to the first team game on Saturday to ensure the surface was fit for play.
After all those efforts, the match had to live up to expectations and so it did.
With the sun out and the pitch firming up, Dorking started strongly with forwards and backs linking nicely. Second row Will Elkeles spotted a gap out wide and forced his way through. His ambitious offload out of the tackle took a lucky bounce off a Guildford player and into the hands of centre Charlie Aldridge. His clever line towards the corner flag drew in a number of defenders. He then switched the ball back to wing Tom Harper who still had some work to do but squeezed through three defenders to open the scoring. Charlie Nichol, who was immaculate with the boot all day, added the extras. 7-0
Dorking were determined to maintain the pressure on Guildford and after a great kick chase, they forced a lineout on the Guildford 22. A lovely throw to the back enabled Dorking to move the ball wide, with winger Will Simpson making a break and feeding Nichol to score. 14-0
Dorking needlessly allowed Guildford back into the game almost immediately. Dorking fielded the restart and after setting the ball up nicely, took too long over the clearing kick and Guildford were able to charge it down and score out wide. 14-7
As has happened too many times this season, Dorking then got carried away and started to try and run the ball from anywhere on the park. Guildford were ferocious in defence and Dorking walked into the traps they were setting. Dorking opted not to clear their lines from a long Guildford kick and were smashed back in the tackle, conceding a penalty. Guildford opted for a kick to the corner and from a simple peel move scored again to make it 14-14.
With the game seemingly in the balance, Dorking rolled up their sleeves and camped out on the Guildford try line. The pressure was starting to tell and Guildford conceded a penalty 5 metres out. Captain Alex Power tapped the ball and shipped it wide for Will Simpson to score this time. 21-14
Dorking, remembering that they have an excellent tactical kicking game, maintained the pressure. From another excellent lineout, which was really starting to function, fly half Wood Aldridge stepped back into the pocket and pinned Guildford back with a probing kick. Guildford then lapsed into Dorking’s bad habits and tried to run the ball out of their own 22. However, the last pass didn’t reach its target and instead bounced up nicely for Tom Harper to score again. 28-14
In the longest first half in Colts history, disaster struck just before half-time. Dorking failed to clear their lines and again conceded a penalty 10 metres out. Guildford opted for the quick tap and flanker Calum Maddick was adjudged not to have retreated far enough and picked up his third yellow card of the season. Guildford tapped the resultant penalty and this time managed to score.
28-21 ahead at the break and down to 14 men, Dorking knew they had to step up in the second half and they did. Dorking piled the pressure on their hosts and in a reverse of the first half were able to charge down a clearing kick in the Guildford 22, with Woody Aldridge on hand to score. 35-21
Dorking were now starting to exert some real pressure at the scrum, splintering the big Guildford pack and picking up some penalties as their reward. From one of these scrums, Dorking ran a set play and centre Chris Styles strode through the Guildford defence. He was hauled down short of the line but quick hands saw the ball moved wide left for Will Simpson’s second. Nichol finally missed a kick, with the score 40-21.
Guildford responded strongly and eventually their big centre powered through a double tackle to peg the score back to 40-28.
Dorking then put the game to bed in extraordinary fashion. A great period of play moved Dorking up the field, playing with real structure and continuity. The ball was moved wide left and a deft grubber kick from thirty metres out looked like it would peg Guildford back in their own 22. Instead, the kick bounced off the padded corner flag and over the try line. Tom Harper was quickest to react, dotting down for his hat-trick. 45-28
Not wanting to be outdone by his opposite winger, Will Simpson rounded things off with his own hat-trick score. From another set play, Power chipped the ball over the onrushing Guildford defence. Simpson scooped it up in front of the noisy Guildford fans and had great delight in strolling in from 30 metres out. 52-28 at the end
This game was a really stiff test for Dorking, with Guildford giving everything in search of an upset. Dorking yet again found a way to win, which should be another valuable lesson for them and a reminder of the structures they need in place to beat the top teams.
Despite both wingers scoring hat-tricks, the real work was done much closer to the action, with Dorking’s set-piece, in particular, starting to peak at the right time. Man of the match was Woody Aldridge for his second-half game control and his extraordinary efforts in defence, effectively becoming an extra back-row player at times.
Dorking now advance to a home semi-final next weekend against Wimbledon, who were close runners up to Rosslyn Park in the other pool. The games do not get any easier from here.
