Dorking 39 – 27 Henley Hawks
Second half revival secures the bonus point win
By Kevin Beal
Dorking left it to the final quarter of this enthralling third v fourth contest to seal the bonus point win over a Henley side that had clearly done their homework, thwarting the home team from the outset. Trailing by 1 point at half time the Red & Whites had to contend with the uphill slope in the second half to turn the match around, scoring five tries, four conversions and two penalties to Hawks four tries, two conversion and a penalty.
Previous encounters between the two sides had been keenly contested with only a few points separating them; indeed the game at Dry Leas earlier in the season had ended in a 22 all last move draw. So, it was no surprise when Henley started robustly, returning Dorking’s kick off and forcing a knock on as the home team worked the ball back into their half. Taking the spoils with a penalty in the first set piece they set out their stall as Ben Henderson and Will Benning drove up field into the Dorking 22. And with Dorking giving away a succession of penalties in defence, it was only a matter of time before the posts came within kicker Jordan Oatley’s range. 0-3
Dorking’s attack was forced to work hard, not helped when No8 Finn Osborne was forced to leave the pitch after a storming charge into the Henley half. Tom Bloomer, Jasper King and Daragh Chambers led the way with forward drives up the midfield supported by the stalwart front row trio of Jonny Ellis, Tom Bristow and Henry Birch, an in form Joel Grant and replacement 8 Ray Jardine. Henley’s defence was equal to the challenge, but eventually the Red & Whites pressure told and they were rewarded with two tries in quick succession from Tom Howe and Will Sanders, both converted by Henry Anscombe as the back line found space out wide. They were unlucky not to score two more as scrum half George Jackson was adjudged held up over the line, and Toby McRae couldn’t quite collect Howe’s kick through down the left wing. Henley’s response came through two forwards tries led by Henderson and Lowe, showing once again the power of their preferred weapon of attack the rolling maul. With one converted by Oatley this gave them a slender, but nonetheless deserved 1 point lead at the break. 14-15
Dorking regained the lead early in the second half as Anscombe, having a good day with the boot slotted the first of his two penalties before Henley retaliated to retake the lead with another texbook forwards line out catch and drive try from Henderson, again converted by Oatley. 17 – 22. But as the match moved into the final quarter, Dorking looked the fitter side and to have sealed the result with two further tries in quick succession in a seven minute purple patch. Firstly, as Daragh Chambers punched a hole in the visitor’s defence to release Toby McRae on the left wing and secondly, as Anscombe wrong footed his opposite number with an outrageous dummy and step, creating space out wide for Fraser Mosley to do the same. 29-22. But Henley came back as Henderson notched up his hat trick, shunted over the whitewash from yet another 5 m line out making the score 29-27 with a few minutes left on the clock. Just enough time for McRae to score his second again out wide, and Anscombe to finally seal the win with a penalty.
Final score 39-27
Dorking’s DoR Armand Roux commented
“I’m proud of the way we worked our way back into this game having gone behind twice.
Today was a whole squad effort with every one of the squad playing their parts.
I thought Henley played well today and made us work hard for our 5 points
Some great individual performances out there today and some resilience shown again by this squad ”.
Scores;
Dorking Tries: Howe(18) Sanders(21) McRae(57, 73) Mosley(64)
Conversions: Anscombe(19, 22, 58, 74)
Pens: Anscombe (44,78)
Henley Hawks:
Tries: Henderson (30, 54, 66), Lowe (40)
Conversions: Oatley (40, 55)
Penalties: Oatley (6)
Teams:
Dorking:
Hotston, Sanders, Howe, Anscombe (vc), McRae, Holland, Jackson, Birch, Ellis (c), Bristow, Chambers, King, Grant, Bloomer, Osborne.
Replacements - Musa, Connor, Goodfellow Jardine, Mosley
Henley:
Rawsthorn, Wood, Crowley, Hakimian, Gordon, Oatley, Webb, Collins, Henderson, Mason, Lowe, Lunnon, Benning, Vooght, (c) Bradley
Replacements - Totick, Frostick, White, Pattison, Gibbins
Star Man – Toby McRae, Dorking
Referee: Mr Lloyd Davies
Attendance 470
