Sevenoaks 5 – 27 Dorking
Dorking ‘Do the Double’ at Sevenoaks
By Kevin Beal
Dorking v Sevenoaks is probably one of the oldest and most hotly contested fixtures on the club calendar, with Oaks being founded a mere four years after Dorking and most of the recent games being won by only a few points either way. With Oak’s spending much of the first half camped inside the Dorking 10m line, this game was far tighter than the score suggests, and it was only robust Dorking defence which kept the hosts at bay before they were able to open up in the second half and claim both the home and away victories.
The opening salvoes of the game saw both sides determined to run the ball, and in the face of strong defence, play remained contained between the respective 10m marks. Dorking had the better of the exchanges, but a series of penalties against them kept Oaks very much in the game until Steve Howorth punched through the midfield and found Finn Osborne and Craig Holland in support before a high tackle snuffed out the move. From the penalty kick and subsequent line out on the Oaks 5m mark the Dorking pack, very much in the ascendancy both in the loose and set piece drove towards the try line and won another penalty and a further scrum from which Osborne picked up and scored. With the conversion missed, it was 0-5 and 15 minutes played.
Oaks regained the ball from the kick off and began a period of concerted territorial dominance, spending much of the remainder of the half pressing the Dorking defence hard. Several promising moves were either snuffed out by aggressive cover tackles, and on more than one occasion squandered as feet strayed into touch or passes were adjudged marginally forward. But the price of this defence was high, for as the penalty count rose and warnings were given, Sir began to issue cards and Dorking were down to 13 men in quick succession.
Eschewing a number of eminently kickable penalties, Oaks continued to kick for the close range line out; probably a mistake as the wind made accuracy difficult and Dorking were able to disrupt the throw and steal possession. With the returning Harry Elbrow very much to the fore both in attack and defence, Dorking’s 13 were able to break out and work play up field. An injury to centre Max Coyle saw the return of Toby McRae fresh off the plane from his sabbatical in Australia and with it a resurgence in Dorking fortunes, as from a 5m defensive scrum they cleared their lines to their 22, Adam Musa stole Oak’s line out and Tom Hardwick put the ball into touch on the Oak’s 5m mark.
Oak’s retained possession and cleared back to half way, where an uncharacteristic knock on in the visitor’s line out gifted possession back to the home side in the form of set piece scrum. Despite their depleted numbers, Dorking managed to turn over possession and very much against the run of play set Theo Williamson free for their second try in the top left hand corner. With the conversion again drifting wide, it was 0-10 at the half time whistle.
Dorking kicked off the second half and as Oaks had done in the first, retained possession as the ball held up in the wind. Elbrow took the ball on but was adjudged one roll too many in presenting the ball, gifting possession back to the home side who once again kicked for territory and a line out. Which Osborne stole and Dorking were back on the attack as George Jackson cleared the ball away to midway in the half. With Oaks fumbling the move from the resulting line out, Dorking had a scrum on the halfway mark, and with clean possession, the ball passed quickly thought the hands of Messrs Baldwin, Holland and Cowell to McRae who was over in the corner for their third try, again unconverted. 0-15.
This seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side, who although their defence was still robust, were never really in the game from that point on as the back to full strength Dorking pack took control in the set piece and the backs looked to cut loose. It wasn’t however until well into the final quarter that Dorking were able to put the game to bed through two Osborne tries, the first, unconverted, a pick up from the base of a 5m scrum, and the second, converted, following a scrum on the Oak’s 22. 0 - 27
The remaining few minutes saw Oaks back on the attack and looking for the consolation score, which eventually came as wing Jacob Ivell went over out wide in the final move of the game. And with the conversion missed, Sir blew for full time. 5-27
Director of Rugby Armand Roux commented
I am pleased with finally getting the Sevenoaks Monkey off our back by getting 5 points on the road.
The players really stepped it up last week so all credit to every player who got out there and got on with business.
Sevenoaks always been a tough side for us to break down away from home, so I am pleased that we managed to get the Job done.
Great Dorking support I might add as the Dorking faithful never disappoints.
We head back home next week where Worthing is fighting for Survival at the bottom of National 2 East.
Teams:
Sevenoaks
Adams, Ivell, Shirtcliff, Corrigan, Begbie, Livett, Jones, J Simmons, Sedgewick ©, Strainge, Lee, Southon, Martin, Rufai, Green. Replacements- T Simmons, Rolfe, Porteous, Mokuolu, Horner
Dorking
Cowell, Hotston, Coyle, Holland, Willimson, Hardwick, Jackson, Bristow, Musa, Stephenson, Scholes ©, King, Howorth, Elbrow, Osborne. Replacements- Watson, Sheldrake, Golder, Bloomer, McRae
Star Player – Harry Elbrow (Dorking)
Referee – Mr Phillip Russell
