WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 7

WIMBORNE II 28

A MUCH-CHANGED Weymouth & Portland side were beaten by Wimborne at Monmonth Avenue.

The Seasiders made a whole host of changes from the team that lost to Swanage Seconds last week.

Andy Bowditch, Karl Sankey, Matt Driver, Ian Dixon, Adam Lloyd-Edwards all came into the side for this Dorset & Wilts One South clash.

The hosts started the better of the two teams and it wasn’t long before Norton Rogers went close to scoring again after last week’s brace of tries.

First he was bundled into touch on the five-metre line and then after some skilful footwork and pick up of the ball he was pulled down just short of the line.

Incredibly after only two visits into the home half, the visitors were two tries and 14 points up with only a quarter of an hour played.

For the remainder of the half it was nip-and-tuck with neither side able to break through until the last play when the hosts were awarded a penalty on half way which Alex Toms slotted into the right-hand corner.

What followed was a perfectly executed planned move after the forwards had first won the ball and fed Lewis Allan who passed to Toms with Rogers coming into the line from the blind side wing.

Toms then used Rogers and inside-centre Luke Savage as decoys and sent out a long pass to outside centre Tom Nixon who had full-back Lewis Richards outside of him, who then passed to Adam Lloyd-Edwards with enough space for the left wing to go around his opposite number and touch down wide out.

Toms stepped up and slotted over the conversion with apparent ease.

With the conversion ending the first half, Weymouth’s tails were up and the hosts confidently looked forward to the second half.

Unfortunately with the break came the rain and despite both sides wanting to play open rugby, it wasn’t to be and it was Wimborne who adapted best to the slippery conditions and played on the Weymouth mistakes to run in two converted tries and run out seemingly easy winners in a hard-fought match.

It is hoped that captain Dan Bowditch will be recovered in two weeks' time when the Seasiders entertain newy-promoted Bridport.