Dorking 40 – 28 Westcombe Park
Dorking Edge Match in final Ten
By Kevin Beal
Matches v Westcombe Park have, over the (many) years been close run tense affairs, and today’s was no different as the two teams, both languishing in unfamiliar territory near the foot of the table struggled to play flowing rubgy in what became a staccato sto-start affair. The men in Red & White eventually took control in the final ten minutes of the game scoring twice in quick succession to seal the win but it was not a pretty affair.
Things started well enough as Dorking, playing uphill looked the stronger of the two teams with George Head and Jasper King leading the way and Will Sanders over in the corner for the first points of the day, converted from out wide by Jack Thorn who, as last week at Barnes, had clearly packed his kicking boots. 7-0 and looking good. However, WP had not come merely to make up the numbers, and within moments of the re-start had a score of their own as Jack Aungier scorched up the touchline to touch down for an unconverted try, which seemed to perk things up and the game became a far more competitive affair. Indeed WP were next on the score board to take the lead 7-10 as Tom Burman was on hand to touch down following a well executed catch and drive from a 50-22 clearance and lineout.
The match then settled into a somewhat scrappy pattern as neither team seemed able to convert possession and territory into points with the ball being coughed up at critical moments, passes going astray and it has to be said some rather odd judgement calls from the team of officials which de-railed to flow of the game. Finally on the half hour mark Dorking were able to take the lead through a try by Ollie Rawlinson, on for the injured George Head as the lineout catch and drive worked as it should, and with Thorn on target again it was 14-10. There was however time enough in the half for WP’s Max Brown to slot a couple of penalty goals to retake the lead at the interval.
With things pretty even score-wise and the benefit of the slope, the Dorking faithful were looking forward to better things in the second half, so it was a bit of a blow when pretty much from the kick off, WP’s Burman was over in the left hand corner for his second following a turnover ball and a burst of speed up the touchline. With the conversion missed their lead was extended to 14-21, and the ghost of the Canterbury game from two weeks ago hove into view. Thankfully banished by a good phase of play with both forwards and backs combining on the front foot to put Sanders over for his second in the bottom right hand corner. 19-21, and shortly the lead regained through a Max Coyle try, converted by Thorn at 26-21.
As in the first half, the middle 20 of the second half produced little for either side to celebrate until WP’s Aungier was over under the posts for his second, this time converted by Oscar Daniel to give them back the lead at 26-28. This seemed to spur the Red & Whites on and from the restart they looked a far more accomplished side retaining and recycling the ball until eventually replacement Matty Gwyther was over under the posts. With an easy conversion for Thorn, Dorking took the lead back, 33-28. From the re-start Dorking cleared the ball back to half way for a WP line out, and as WP secured the ball and kicked for position, the ball was charged down and Gareth Stephens collected the ball and outsprinted the defence to secure the win with a try under the posts, again easily converted by Thorn. 40-28, a lead which Dorking were not to relinquish.
DoR Armand Roux commented:
“It was great to get 5 points at home against a team that competes at every single contact point. Our fitness was superior and in the end we started finding more space and opportunity.
Credit to Westcombe Park for what they brought to the table as they never gave up or stopped battling.
It was also great to see Matthew Gwyther getting an opportunity again and scoring a great little try at home in front of a crowd where he began his youth rugby”
Team:
Coyle, Sanders, Stephens, Hotston, Williamson, Thorn, Lock, Litchfield, Head, Barry, Sammut, King, Scholes ©, Elbrow, Lee. Replacements: Rawlinson, Stephenson, Chambers, Gwyther, Newman
Referee: Mr Peter Buchanan
