Dorking Open the Season in Style
Wimbledon RFC 22 – 57 Dorking RFC
By Kevin Beal
In a fast flowing and high scoring game between the two old rivals, the Red & Whites ran out comfortable winners scoring 8 tries to 4 at Barham Road in Saturday’s season opener. Two tries each by Finn Osborne, Joel Grant and newcomer Tom Howe, along with one apiece from Captain Fred Dalton and Cam Cowell, topped by 7 conversions and 1 penalty from Henry ‘The Hoof’ Anscombe sealed an impressive performance against a dogged Wimbledon side who never took a step backwards.
Indeed, it was Wimbledon who were first on the score board with a well worked try coming from a training ground cross kick move which saw winger Thomaz Posniak leaping highest to claim the ball and dab down for a try in the left-hand corner. With the conversion missed it was 5 – 0 after 12 minutes of play.
The Red & Whites’ response was quick and decisive. Retaining the ball following Wimbledon’s clearance from the re-start they moved the ball up field, and from a second cleanly taken line out patiently pressured the Wimbledon line with Finn Osborne finally crashing through to score under the posts. An easy conversion for Henry Anscombe saw the score at 5 – 7 with 15 minutes played.
The Dorking back line then moved up a gear with new centre pairing Tom Howe and Henry Anscombe creating space with a miss move that put full back Cam Cowell in the clear for a converted try in the right hand corner. And with the pack safely collecting the ball from the re start a carbon copy move freed up Tom Howe for the first of his two tries taking the score to 5-21 with 25 minutes played.
It was then Wimbledon’s turn to trouble the scorer with a catch and drive from a 5m line out, a collapsed maul and a penalty try along with a yellow card for Dorking’s Jasper King. And minutes later, taking advantage of the extra man, the same ploy in the same spot, this time minus the penalty try and YC, saw hooker Macauley Casey emerge from the bottom of the maul to claim the try. With the conversion missed, Dorking’s lead was reduced to 4 points at 17-21 with 7 minutes of the half to go.
Back up to a full complement it was Finn Osborne who steadied the ship with the bonus point try on the stroke of half time, converted by Henry Anscombe giving the Red & Whites a 17-28 lead as Sir blew for the oranges and a well-deserved breather. And with the changing rooms something of a hike away, both teams opted for an ‘old school’ half time break on the pitch.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with both teams probing each other’s defences. A missed touch from a Wimbledon penalty fielded by Toby McRae gave the Dorking backs a free run back into the Wimbledon 22. With good field position, a scrum penalty and a secure Dorking line out Captain Fred took the ball at pace on Wimbledon’s 22, and spotting the gap he broke through to score under the posts. With another easy conversion the Dorking lead moved out to 17-35.
Henry Anscombe kept the scoreboard ticking over with a well taken penalty kick, and Dorking brought on fresh legs in the form of Jonny Ellis, Joel Grant and Fraser Mosley for Callum Watson, Steve Howorth and Will Sanders.
With both sides opting to run the ball the game opened up; several promising moves from both petered out in knock ons, and Wimbledon were unlucky not to score on two occasions as the ball bobbled agonisingly loose. A yellow card for Wimbledon’s 5 didn’t help as Finn Osborne ripped the ball away in the tackle and fed Joel Grant for his first of the day under the posts. 17-42.
With Dorking knocking the ball on at the re-start, Wimbledon retained the ball from the scrum and put winger Posniak away for his second try, again unconverted. 22 – 45 and a try bonus for both sides with 15 minutes to play
As the clock wound down Wimbledon began to tire and with a second Wimbledon yellow card, Dorking took control. Henry Smith replaced George Jackson at scrum half, and former colt Ollie Rawlinson, winning his first ‘cap’ replaced Charlie Connor in the front row. Finn Osborne, his work done made way for Steve Howorth.
The final 10 minutes saw Dorking in full flow and second tries for Tom Howe and Joel Grant, the latter the final move of the game following a tap and go penalty.
Final score Wimbledon 22 – 57 Dorking
In the two other games, Dorking’s 2’s ran out 5-31 winners against Wimbledon 2’s and Dorking’s 3’s took a last minute 21-22 victory over Old Reigatian 2’s
DoR Armand Roux commented:
“It’s always nice to get a Win in the first game of the year and doing it against Wimbledon today in the way we did was pretty fantastic.
We know there are some areas that we need to go and look at, but overall we’re pleased with the win.
I thought Wimbledon had some periods where they really put some pressure on us but the resilience to keep trusting the processes was there and we managed to get a good win as a result.
Our focus now turns towards Worthing as we prepare to host them next week”
Team: Charlie Connor, Callum Watson, Zak Stephenson, Steve Howorth, Jasper King, Will Scholes, Fred Dalton ©, Finn Osborne, George Jackson, Craig Holland, Toby McRae, Henry Anscombe (vc) Tom Howe, Will Sanders, Cam Cowell, Olly Rawlinson, Jonny Ellis, Joel Grant, Fraser Mosley, Henry Smith
Man of the Match: Fred Dalton (Sponsored by Dorking Design and Build)
Referee: Phil Russell
NEXT UP:
Dorking vs Worthing
Match Day Lunch and entrance tickets here
