Oxford Quins 48-24 Dorking
‘Oxford Blues’
By Kevin Beal
Dorking succumbed to their worst defeat in recent memory as they saw a 19 point lead vaporise in the second quarter of the match in the face of determined Quins running coupled with some loose tackling, poor discipline and three yellow cards.
The match started well enough for the Red & Whites as they went 0-12 up in the first eight minutes with tries from Max Coyle and Tom Howe, added to on the twenty minute mark by Adam Musa with a well orchestrated catch and drive try from a 5m line out. With Craig Holland on target twice, things looked set fair for the afternoon.
Then the wheels came off.
The remainder of the half belonged to Quins, who scored 33 unanswered points as Dorking were unable to contain the resurgent home side. Two tries in as many minutes from scrum half Harry Davies and then no 8 Willow Bicknell set the ball rolling, followed by a penalty try as a rolling maul collapsed. Then a fine solo effort from prop David Manning, collecting a loose ball on the Dorking 10m line and outsprinting the defence to touch down under the posts, and shortly before half time fly half Ewan Fox, again outrunning the defence. Ross Cooke added the icing with three out of four conversions good as a shell-shocked Dorking side, down to thirteen men with two in the ‘bin’ looked to re-group in the changing room at half time.
Sadly it was not to be as Quins, with their tails still up took the kick off and almost went over in the far left hand corner but were adjudged ‘held up’. But not for long as returning the goal line drop out, Bicknell was over for his second as Dorking received their third card. Dorking held out with no further scores until restored to full strength, and finally with some ball put Arlo Copp over for the bonus point try to make the score 38-24. Another comeback from the dead was however thwarted as Quins redoubled their efforts and kept play in the visitor’s half with a combination of quick cover defence, aggressive counter rucking and precision kicks for territory nullifying some probing attacks from an increasingly frustrated Dorking attack. A 65th minute penalty from Cooke made the visitor’s task somewhat harder, and Bicknell’s hat trick try on the 78th minute put the result way beyond doubt.
Final Score Quins 48-24 Dorking.
Director of Rugby Armand Roux commented
Disappointing result today but all credit has to go to Quins who played with confidence and managed to rattle our defensive composure.
We have had our own fair share of setbacks in the week and on the day but certainly no excuse as the players we had on the pitch was more than capable of managing the onslaught.
No time to feel sorry for ourselves as this week we will be facing Westcombe Park at home after they turned over Canterbury.
Teams:
Oxford Quins:
Hughes, Cooke, Haines, Field, Boardman, Fox, Davies, Cashman, Boarder, Manning, Taylor, Hayton, Knight, Ireland Bicknell. Replacements: Hopkins, Nicholls, Todd, Paine, Burn.
Dorking;
Andresen, Coyle, Howe, Holland, Hardwick, Jackson, Rawlinson, Watson, Sheldrake, Chambers, Golder, Musa, Scholes, King. Replacements: Karimanzira, Copp, Bristow, Osborne, Hotston
