Result of the Bill Beaumont RFU County Championship: Dorset & Wilts 39 pts. v Berkshire 28 at Swanage & Wareham RFC.
Current League Champions Dorset & Wilts who lifted the Division 2 trophy last season by beating Durham in the final kicked off this season’s campaign with an 11-point victory in a match that can only be described as a game of two halves.
The Twin Counties raced into the lead, scoring at a point a minute, and were 27 points to nil up inside the first 27 minutes of the game and looked to be cruising to an easy victory.
However, a quick glance at the Berkshire team sheet revealed players of real pedigree from clubs including Bracknell, Reading and Maidenhead, to name just three, they couldn’t be that poor, could they?
No, they weren’t. It just took the time to run off the journey and with half-time beckoning, the visitors drove over from a line out to open their account with a try to make the half-time score Dorset & Wilts 27 points to Berkshire’s seven.
After the turn around, it was the Twin Counties who were on the back foot and after an hour had elapsed and with Dorset & Wilts’ leading margin cut to eleven points, the consensus around the ground was the team who scored the next try would probably go on the take the victory.
Fortunately for the Combined Counties, it was scored by Swanage and Wareham flanker Connor Moag, who, in touching down, completed his hattrick of tries after crossing the whitewash twice in the first half.
The visitors scored again in the dying minutes, but the referee blew to call the proceedings to a halt, with Dorset & Wilts taking the victory they deserved despite having their supporters biting their nails throughout the second half.
Dorset and Wilts Scorers.
Connor Moag Swanage & Wareham RFC 3 tries. Jack Adams Dorchester RFC 2 tries. Joe Desmond Bournemouth RFC 1 Try.
Sam Baker Royal Wootton Bassett RFC 1 penalty 3 conversions.
Next time out Dorset and Wilts travel to Ivybridge RFC on May the 18th to lock horns with Devon with the game kicking off at 2 30 pm.
Bournemouth number 8 Joe Desmond touches down for a try.
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