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DMPRFC  30  v  ESHER RFC  22

DMPRFC 30 v ESHER RFC 22

Lewis Johnston24 Jan 2015 - 19:12
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Robert Hall (Hall Construction) presents todays Man of the Match award to Mowdens Matt Shields (Match report attached)

DMPRFC maintained their 100% success rate for the 4 games in 2015, with a hard fought victory over visitors Esher RFC at the Northern Echo Arena.

After a very even first half, the game burst into life after oranges, heralding six tries and 5 yellow cards.

Both teams endeavoured to no avail in the first half, with both sets of forwards battering away at each other and opposing backs testing respective defences.

DMPRFC appeared to have scored a perfectly well worked try via wing Lewis JOHNSON, only to have been brought back by the referee's assistant for a forward pass in the build up.

The big Esher RFC forwards did threaten the home line on several occasions, but were repelled by a combination of stoic defence and their own mistakes.

Home fly half Grant CONNON was successful with three penalties in the half, whilst the visitors were restricted to one from their fly half, keeping things tight at the break (9 - 3).

As has been alluded to previously, the game evolved into action when play resumed after oranges, as both sides sought ascendency and the vital win.

Home flanker Joe MAUD was sin binned for a red zone infringement on 46 minutes and the extra man told, as the Esher forwards profited with a try for their second row and skipper (9 - 8), which was converted by their fly half (9 - 10).

A break was needed for the home side and it came in the form of a wayward pass from Esher on the half way line, which was intercepted by home skipper Cameron MITCHELL, who raced away from the covering defence to score near the posts for DMPRFC to take the lead again (14 - 10). Grant CONNON converting (16 - 10).

Esher RFC were contributing to an exciting game, but were dogged by mistakes at crucial times and some good home defence.

A lovely piece of flowing play accounted for DMPRFC's second try four minutes later, when full back Henry ROBINSON provided the scoring pass for flanker Callum MACKENZIE to scythe through a gap in the defence for the try (21 - 10), which again was added to with a conversion by CONNON (23 - 10).

Although there was no niggle in the game evident to this stage, on 62 minutes, a melee erupted, resulting in the sin binning of home lock Ben GLEDHILL and an Esher replacement flanker.

Two minutes later, another Esher flanker was sin binned for a technicality offence and DMPRFC began to make the numbers count.

Debutant Australian No.8 Andrew COX grabbed the home sides third try, when charging over from close range after good pressure was exerted by DMPRFC on the visitors line (28 - 10). Again Grant CONNON converting (30 - 10).

Replacements were introduced by both sides in an attempt to bring fresh legs on to the field, but it was Esher RFC who took advantage and as the game entered the final ten minutes after home replacement hooker Matt THOMPSON had been sin binned, the visitors turned it on, scoring good two tries via their strong running winger and another from their skipper, one of which was converted (30 - 22).

As the referee blew for time, DMPRFC had managed to hold on for another vital win, which on the balance of play, they fully deserved.



Raffle Winner: Pink 161-165


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