Saturday 12th March 2022
Sutton & Epsom RFC 12 v 47 Dorking RFC
By Jim Evans
A great weekend of rugby was available on show from 6 Nations, the Premiership and a triple header between the 1st, A XV and Extra A’s of Dorking and Sutton &Epsom; it’s testament to two great Surrey Clubs that they are able to each put out circa 55 players. It all started on Friday evening when the Extra A’s played away under lights and ran out winners 12-36, with Tom Cramer taking the Man of the Match award.
On a blustery bright spring day Dorking 1st and A’s made the short journey up to S&E with the A’s kicking off at 1pm. The A’s looked a strong team on paper with a number of players with significant 1st team experience this season, and a sprinkle of some seasoned veterans in the shape of Mike Terelak and Andy Gardner. And so it was to prove as the A’s dominated the match, running out 0-57 winners with Andy taking the Man of the Match award.
The 1sts were confident after a run of good performances but after kicking off, it was S&E who started the match the stronger with an early missed penalty shot at goal. Keeping the pressure up they forced Dorking into an error and gathering the ball, S&E quickly moved the ball out wide for the winger to score. A well taken conversion made it 7-0 after 9mins.
This score seemed to spur Dorking into action, and with a well functioning line out delivering clean ball, Henry Anscombe made a break on the half way line. Now behind the Sutton & Epsom defenders he popped the ball inside to the supporting Harry Elbrow, who did well to beat the full back and score under the posts. Matt Noble added the extras; 7-7, with 12 mins gone.
Dorking continued to assert themselves and went close on a number of occasions, but missed passes or dropped balls meant there was no return on field position and possession dominance. Dorking continued to turn the screw and at a scrum 8m from the S&E try line, and drew another penalty. Finn Osborne took a quick tap, and crashed over for a Matt Noble converted try. 7-14, 32 mins gone.
That’s how the score remained at half time but with the wind on their backs in the 2nd half there was a feeling that Dorking were well placed to close out the match.
Five minutes into the second half, Finn Osborne was fed the ball at speed on the S&E 10m line and bumped off two tacklers to make it to the try line. Once again, Matt Noble converted, 7-21. Dorking now drew on their fitness and upped the tempo, with Harry Elbrow and Johnny Ellis in particular leading the charge. S&E had a defending scrum 10m out from their line, but the powerful Dorking scrum shoved them off the ball and Harry Elbrow took the ball blind, and drawing the winger, he fed Louis Flynn who finished off a neatly taken try. A difficult conversion was missed 7-26, with 56mins gone.
Six minutes later Dorking attacked again from their own half and with options limited, Finn Osborne chose to chip through. The ball looked certain to bounce into touch, however, the ever resourceful Ollie Rathbone scooped the ball back from over the touch line, gathered, and made yards to draw the S&E full back before feeding the ball inside to the supporting Cam Cowell to score. Matt Noble converted, 7-33.
With bench fully deployed, Dorking went up another gear and a good attack, again from their own half freed up Ollie Rathbone to make a blistering run up the wing. With only the full back left Ollie drew the tackler but beautifully fed inside to the supporting Fraser MacDonald to score. Matt duly converted 7-40.
S&E to their credit were not done, and as Dorking tried to build another attack, they forced the ball to be dropped and quickly gathered to score out wide. The conversion agonisingly hit the post and bounced wide. 12-40, 5mins left.
Dorking got into the S&E half again with a penalty kick to the corner. A set move throw to the back delivered quick ball, and Finn Osborne took the ball on the run to score next to the posts. Matt again converted, 12-47, which was to be the final score. Finn Osborne rightly took the Man of the Match award.
Lots of positives to be taken from the match, in particular the continued strong performances in the last quarter of the match. There will be frustrations around missed opportunities in the first half, but overall a pleasing performance. The whole senior squad can reflect on some great performances all round.
Coach Roux commented:
“Pleased with the 5 points on the road as we know that Sutton and Epsom has got the ability to play well at home.
If we are honest and reflect on our performance on the day, then we should have scored at least 5 more tries where some simple individual errors occurred.
Lots of positives and we now have a 2-week rest before we play Sevenoaks at home which will be a cracking encounter”
Team: Charlie Connor, Johnny Ellis, Tom Bristow, Jasper King, Steve Howarth, Joel Grant, Finn Osborne, Harry Elbrow, George Jackson, Henry Anscombe, Olly Rathbone, Ryan Jeffrey, Matt Noble (C), Cam Cowell, Henry Birch, Tyler Norwood, Fraser MacDonald.
