Dorking RFC

Sevenoaks 28-26 Dorking

Oaks take the spoils in another tight contest

By Kevin Beal

It would be fair to say that games between Sevenoaks and Dorking have traditionally been tight and today was no exception with a single conversion once again separating the two sides. Four tries apiece and, it has to be said Dorking’s failure to exit the ‘Red Zone’ cleanly made for an exciting afternoon for the home supporters and a frustrating one for those sporting red & white, eased somewhat by Toby McRae’s hattrick putting him back on top of the league’s top try scorers.

Dorking kicked off with a blustery wind notionally behind them and were immediately on the defensive as Oaks Olly Green managed to get fingertips to the ball in the line out following the ‘return of service’ kick to touch. A succession of pick and goes from the Oaks forwards tested the Dorking defence, and a succession of penalties by said defence allowed Oaks to keep up the pressure with attacking line outs; pressure which eventually told as Captain Sean Derrick barrelled over just to the right of the posts with eight minutes played. A simple conversion for in form full back Ben Adams made the score 7-0.

Getting their hands on the ball for the first time in the game, Dorking responded, moving the ball into the Oaks half but were unable to make ground in the face of a stiff cover defence. And as both sides began to fall foul of the ref’s whistle the game stagnated somewhat in midfield. Dorking clearly had the upper hand in the set piece scrums but were unable to turn this pressure into points as their usually solid line out malfunctioned at key times in the gusting wind. Eventually however a clean take off the top by Jasper King and swift hands by scrum half George Jackson put Tom Howe into space to make ground with Toby McRae supporting for the run in to the corner. 7-5. But with Henry Anscombe’s long range conversion attempt bouncing agonisingly off the upright and then bar, Oaks remained ahead with almost half an hour played.

More midfield action with occasional forays into the 22’s saw both sides attacks and defences cancelling each other out until using their potent catch and drive line out, Oaks looked to have scored a second but were adjudged ‘held up’, and Dorking cleared their lines with a goal line drop out. With five minutes of the half to go Dorking took the lead as McRae took a pass at full speed from Jackson picking up from the base of a set piece scrum, broke two tackles and sprinted to touch down under the posts. An easy conversion for Anscombe put the Red & Whites into the lead, 7-12. Looking to add to their lead, Dorking went back on the attack from the kick off, but a mid-field fumble gave possession back to Oaks who despite their scrum folding were able to get the ball away and move deep into the Dorking half, where play remained until Craig Holland kicked to touch to end the half.

Dorking started the second half strongly, receiving the ball and punching up through the mid field with forward pick and drives until Sir decided that the ball had been held on to for too long in the tackle, allowing Oaks to clear their lines and set up an attacking line out on the Dorking 22. Dorking looked to have nullified the attack as the driving maul was held up over the line, but an offside call gave Oaks a second chance with a penalty, 5 metres out. Again Dorking stripped the ball and regained possession, but bizarrely opted to pass the ball inside the in goal area – straight to Oaks debutant winger Tyler Weeks who gratefully accepted the pass and touched down for a try next to the posts. An easy conversion for Adams, and Oaks were back in front 14-12.

Oaks returned the Dorking kick off with a howitzer up and under. With the ball coming right out of the sun the defence opted to let it bounce before collecting – big mistake as bounce it did – right to the feet of the oncoming Josh Livett who hacked it on and then won the footrace to touch down for the try, again easily converted by Adams, taking their lead to a more comfortable 21-12.

Stung by this, the Red & Whites responded with McRae’s third try of the day. From a line out on half way, their forwards drove up field and from the base of the ruck, Jackson opted to run himself and wrongfooted the Oaks defence to put McRae in the clear for a sprint to the line. With Anscombe’s conversion again good the gap was reduced to 2 points, 21-19.

The next 10 minutes belonged to Dorking as they took play into the Oak’s 22 and pretty much stayed there, pummelling the Oaks try line but unable to score. With the home team yielding a succession of penalties to the visitor’s now dominant set piece scrum it was only a matter of time before a score came, and it did in the form of a penalty try, but strangely unaccompanied by any card. 21-26.

Oaks response was a slow burner as they worked their way back into the Dorking half using repeated up and unders; the ball was clearly difficult to pick out as it dropped in the gusting wind from out of the sun, and this combined with some aggressive tackling made it hard for the Red & Whites to gain territory. Defending a 5m line out catch and drive, Jasper King was carded for ‘swimming’ up the maul and making the extra man count from the ensuing penalty Oak’s Josh Livett found space to touch down for the winning and converted bonus point try. 28-26

The dying minutes saw frantic Dorking attacks as they tried to rescue the game, but to no avail as in the final move, Sir adjudged once again that the ball had been held on to in the ruck for too long, and from the ensuing penalty, a grateful Adams tapped and hoofed the ball into touch for the final whistle.

Final Score 28-26

DoR Armand Roux commented:

It was a close affair and such tight margins from the get go.

I do feel for the team that put in so much effort into certain parts of the game and not get the just reward was disappointing, but we take the rough with the smooth and move on.

Sevenoaks did well to put us under pressure in certain areas, so credit where its due.

We look forward to a good Easter break before we hit the home stretch of the season with TJ’s, Esher and Wimbledon.

Teams:

Sevenoaks: Adams, Weekes, Stone, Corrigan, Forrester, Livett, Davenport, Simmons J, Sedwick, Strainge, Burmeister, Green, Southon, McRea, Derrick ©, Simmons T, Galligan, Signorini, Rufai, Horner

Dorking: Howe, Sanders, Mosley, Anscombe, McRae, Holland, Jackson, Birch, Ellis, Bristow, Chambers, Goodfellow, Grant, Bloomer, King, Stephenson, Connor, Musa, Jardine, Hotston.

Referee: Mr Wookey