Dorking Women fell just short in a scrappy, wind-affected NC1 clash away at Hove on Saturday lunchtime, going down in a tight contest after a back-and-forth battle full of turnovers and momentum swings.
With a strong wind and a greasy ball, handling was a challenge from the first whistle, both sides coughing up possession regularly as the game struggled to find any real rhythm.
First Half
Dorking struck first. After absorbing early pressure and capitalising on a Hove mistake, Steph (13) spotted a gap, broke the line cleanly and finished under the posts. Rachel added the extras to give Dorking a 0–7 lead.
The conditions continued to play a big part, with knock-ons from both teams disrupting any sustained phases. Hove looked dangerous on the counter and thought they were away with an interception, but play was pulled back for a penalty.
Hove eventually made their pressure count, working the ball wide to score in the corner. The conversion levelled things at 7–7.
Dorking responded well. After a long, powerful run from Ella, the ball was recycled and Jemma (14) finished the move to restore the visitors’ lead. Rachel again slotted the conversion: 7–14.
However, ill-discipline began to creep in, with Dorking penalised for going off their feet. Hove took advantage, crossing for another try. The conversion was missed, narrowing the gap to 12–14.
On the stroke of half-time, Dorking made a change with Ella off and Tam on, but Hove grabbed the final say of the half, scoring again to take the lead for the first time. This time the kick was good, sending Dorking into the break trailing 19–14.
Second Half
Hove started the second half strongly and extended their advantage with another try, pushing the score out to 24–14 and putting Dorking under real pressure.
To their credit, Dorking dug in and hit back. After building phases and tightening up their handling, Charlotte powered over to finish a well-constructed attack.
Rachel kept her perfect record from the tee, nailing the conversion to close the gap to 24–21 and swing the momentum back towards the visitors.
Dorking then earned a penalty against Hove for not rolling away, giving them a platform to attack again. The wind continued to make kicking and territory a lottery, and while Hove’s clearance drew some colourful feedback from Jas, Dorking couldn’t quite turn the territory into the decisive score they needed.
Despite late pressure and flashes of quality, the earlier handling errors and penalties ultimately cost Dorking, as Hove held on to close out a narrow home win.
