Dorking Turn up the Heat at The Big Field
Dorking 38 – 10 Worthing Raiders
By Kevin Beal
With recent encounters going with home advantage at 3 wins apiece there was all to play for in this clash of old rivals. And today was no different. Despite the sub-Saharan conditions, Dorking sealed a fine win with a sizzling performance scoring three unanswered converted tries through Callum Watson, Finn Osborne and George Jackson, plus a Henry Anscombe penalty from half way before the half time whistle, which, with hindsight sealed the match. Worthing fought back early in the second half with two unconverted tries in a 5 minute purple patch from Tom Brown and Alfie Ambrose before Dorking re-exerted control, scoring two more converted tries through Toby McRae and Fraser Mosley.
It was nip and tuck in the first fifteen minutes with probing runs and kicks from both sets of players without return, before Dorking’s rolling maul crossed the Worthing line and Watson received the plaudits from his team mates for the score. The new tackle height laws were still somewhat open to interpretation, with both sides falling foul which contributed to a slightly staccato pattern to the game. The Red & Whites did however have the better of the play with the back line setting up some promising moves only to be thwarted at the last. No. 8 Osborne crashed over following a scrum five metres out just after the thirty minute mark followed shortly by scrum half Jackson, all three tries coming from forward dominance. Anscombe’s conversions and long range penalty shortly before half time iced the cake and it was 24-0 to Dorking at half time.
The start of the second half saw Dorking napping and a rejuvenated Worthing side score twice in quick succession, however they were no match for the Red & Whites thereafter, as their backs began to find each other with a succession of slick handling moves. Newcomers Sanderson and Howe showed their speed, backed up by messrs Cowell, McRae Sanders and Anscombe. If the first half had belonged to the forwards, the second half was claimed by the backs. Try of the day from replacement centre Mosley followed a lightening break by Howe of 50 meters before offloading to Anscombe who was able to draw the final defender before offloading to the supporting Mosley. With both sides committed to playing an open game, there were inevitably unenforced errors which nipped promising attacks from both in the bud, but Dorking never looked like relinquishing their lead, and in the final quarter as their scrum began to exert pressure and the heat took its toll on both sets of players, their back line took advantage to score twice more, both tries converted.
Director of Rugby Armand Roux commented:
“Even though we did not really hit our straps today, considering the conditions, it was a fantastic result for us where we took most of the opportunities really well when it really counted. I am proud of this Dorking squad today.
We did however fail to execute some opportunities and our slight lack of concentration allowed Worthing to get the better of us in the early stages of the second half
A huge amount of credit needs to go to every player for playing in those conditions today”
Scores:
Tries: Dorking - Watson (15) Osborne (30) Jackson (35) McRae (52) Mosley (76)
Conversions: Anscombe 5 (17, 32, 37, 53, 78)
Penalty: Anscombe (40)
Tries: Worthing – Brown (42) Ambrose (46)
Teams:
Dorking
Cowell, Sanders, Howe, Anscombe, (vc) McRae, Holland Jackson, Birch, Watson, Connor, Scholes, King, Jardine, Dalton (C) Osborne.
Subs: Ellis, Stephenson, Chambers, Mosley, Smith.
Worthing
Derrick, Bowen, Sims, Forrest, (C) Rawlinson, Ellis, Spencer, Gatford, 2 Doorey Palmer, Sergant, Lake(VC), Alexander, Sunray, Knight, Taggart, Harrison
Subs Wood, Glass, Golder, Ambrose, Sanderson
Referee: Phil Russell
Star Man: Henry Anscombe (Dorking)
Attendance: 600
