Dorking RFC

Dorking  21 v 34 Old Albanians

Dorking were unable to find their strongest form against top of the table Old Albanians, who set up victory with a dominant first half playing down the hill.

After looking sharp in victory over Canterbury last week, Dorking struggled to click into gear. And with just three minutes on the clock influential OAs hooker Ben Alexander touched down for an easy score, converted by Elliot McPhun. Dorking levelled soon after when Tom Howe’s outrageous backpass out of the tackle found flyhalf Tom Hardwick who cantered in under the posts and converted his own try to level at 7-7. And it looked like we were back on track.

But thereafter the half went pear-shaped for the red and whites as OAs turned the screw and Dorking came unstuck. Struggling to please Sir didn’t help and matters got worse. Tighthead Nick Barry limped off after a hefty tackle, followed by hooker George Head. Then scrum half George Jackson stayed down with a worrying-looking knee injury and, to compound matters, blindside flanker Steve Howorth was felled too. At which point Sir decided lock Jasper King deserved a yellow card. That was the sort of luck we were getting.

Dorking didn’t panic and stuck to the system, but OAs capitalised and turned the screw  with penetrating runs from No8 Aaron Florestein and inside centre Stephen Hihetak creating space for their pacy back three. Tries followed for wings Jonathan Ilori and Josh Skelcey and then full back Ricci Alessandro took the overlap to score for the bonus point and a deserved 7-24 interval lead with Dorking looking out of sorts.

There was no let up after the break as OAs hammered away on the Dorking line. And there was no pleasing Sir as Jasper’s second row partner Dom Sammut saw yellow to reduce us to 13 players. But, like last week, the depleted Dorking defence remained organised and effective, riding out a 13-minute siege in their own 22 before finally breaking clear.

Outside centre Howe made the critical breakthrough to lift spirits, charging down the full back’s high kick. OAs conceded the penalty, Hardwick kicked us deep into their 22 for the line-out and from a series of drives off the maul replacement hooker Olly Rawlinson burrowed over for a try converted by Hardwick.

This was much better. And as the pack got stuck into OAs, Dorking were back in enemy territory once more and with the same result from a 5m line-out. An athletic catch from Darragh Chambers, a rolling maul and Rawlinson touching down for his second try with Hardwick getting the extras to cut the lead to 21-24. And what had seemed an unlikely victory now looked very much on as Hardwick pulled the strings once more.

With tails up Dorking were now playing well with minutes to go and pushing for a bonus point try. It was epic end-to-end rugby. And with another 5m line-out OAs just managed to thwart the rolling maul. Then, as Dorking swung the ball across the field in search of the winning score, disaster struck and OAs winger Illori intercepted to run in under the posts much to the visitors relief. There was just time for the conversion, a yellow card for Hardwick and a late penalty kick from McPhun to see OAs home – reward for the strong first half display, but a frustrating afternoon for The Cocks.

OAs DoR James Osborn said: “We showed good belief in the first half against a top side and proved we’re getting stronger.”

Dorking DoR Armand said: “Credit where it’s due, OA’s first half performance sealed the deal for them and we were always playing catch up from there. We did get the score back to 21-24 and had a promising launch play that was inches away from success. Too little, too late.

Teams:
Dorking:
Coyle, Sanders, Howe, Powell, Barker, Hardwick, Jackson, Stephenson, Head, Barry, Sammut, King, Howorth, Bloomer, Scholes (c). Replacements - Rawlinson, Connor, Butler, Chambers, Davis

Old Albanian:
Ricci, Ilori, Noot, Hihetah, Skelcey, Nurse, Mcphun, Ramzanpoor, Alexander, Sterling, Horne, Charter, Mummery, Ponsford (c), Florestein. Replacements -  Fleckney, Holland, Samuel, Munnelley, Wilton

Scoring

Dorking:

Tries: Hardwick (7), Rawlinson (65), (72)

Cons: Hardwick (7, 65, 72)

Old Albanians:
Tries: Alexander (3), Illori (15), Skelcey (38, 78), Alessandro (43)

Cons: McPhun (3, 15, 78)

Pen: 82

Referee: Mr Peter Buchanan

Attendance: 512