PUDDLETOWN 0

DORSET DOCKERS 38

PUDDLETOWN battled hard in tough conditions but were ultimately whitewashed 38-0 at the hands of Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts One South high-fliers Dorset Dockers.

The blustery wind and driving rain sweeping across Greenfields failed to dampen this entertaining encounter and it was the Villagers who were first to mount some early pressure but, after five minutes, the visitors pounced on a loose ball deep in their own half to race away and score in the corner.

The conversion attempt failed but Dockers had seized the initiative and, soon after, they doubled the score, this time with a try in the opposite corner pushing over from a five-metre scrum.

Already 10-0 down and with less than 10 minutes gone, the home side needed to dig deep to prevent the visitors running up another of their infamous cricket scores.

They did so admirably and in fact it was Puddletown who enjoyed more possession and territory for the rest of the half.

Dockers’ well-drilled defence held firm though and just before the interval they again demonstrated with devastating effect their speed and accuracy on the break, scoring a further two tries, both converted, to turn round with a 24-0 advantage.

The second half resumed with Puddletown still battling away, the ball carriers, led by number eight Tom Nickisson, repeatedly looking to make the hard yards and set up the ball for fly-half James Elwood to feed his backs, but a combination of stubborn defence by the visitors and spilled ball in the slippery conditions continued to deny the Villagers.

Into the final quarter and both teams brought on fresh legs but, as the home side increasingly chased the game, Dockers seemed to step up a gear.

They were able to take full advantage of their pace, ran in two more scores to take the result out of reach.

Despite the defeat, head coach Paul Chidley was in upbeat mood.

He said: “I thought we played well against a very good side, and credit to every one of my players, they really gave it everything.

“It’s just a pity that, for the first time this season, we failed to score.

“We’ll just have to make up for it next week.”

Chidley named winger Tom Roy as his man-of-the-match.

The Villagers remain eighth in the league and on Saturday visit local rivals Blandford, just one place and one point above them.

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