DMPRFC 17 v WEST HARTLEPOOL RFC 12

The home side started the brighter, attacking the visitors on both flanks, but to no avail as the West Hartlepool defence managed to keep the insurgents at bay.

The official had made it plain from the start that he would police the breakdown sternly and this turned out to be the area that both sides had problems with, resulting in a series of infringements and ultimately yellow cards throughout the game. However, there was time during the course of proceedings for some period of exciting play and a nail-biting finish.

After the visitors had absorbed the initial surge by the home side, they tried to mount their own attacks, mainly through their big forwards and rolling mauls seemed to be their preferred option, although none provided any decent opportunities anywhere near the red zone.

West Hartlepool did have a couple of scoring chances themselves, which came to nothing due to a combination of wrong options and covering defence.

Home fly half Grant CONNON had a few opportunities to slot over penalties, but failed to master the swirling wind and chances to add to the scoreboard came and went.

Yellow cards were issued to the visiting centre and the home skipper for repeated infringements at the breakdown, which meant a bit of re-shuffling, but nothing at that stage that affected the game.

From similar opportunities, the visiting full back and kicker was more on song, slotting three for the only scores of the first half (0 – 9)
The break for oranges was always going to be an opportunity for the home side to take stock of what had happened before and to re-iterate that if the pace could be upped, the visitors may succumb.

So it was no surprise when this occurred, as DMPRFC started after oranges as they had the game, introducing pace into the game and this time with success. A series of rucks were created, sucking in the visiting defence, allowing scrum half Todd HARRISON an opportunity to see the gap, which he took near to the posts (5 – 9) Grant CONNON made no mistake with the easy conversion (7 – 9).

At this stage, the home side were back on top, trying to play all the rugby and it was no surprise, when the visiting skipper was sin-binned for handling in the ruck, as the visitors tried to slow down the game.
Barging runs by home prop Danny DIXON made penetrative headway into the visiting defence as DMPRFC pressed for more points, however West Hartlepool added to their lead with another penalty (7 – 12).

As the visiting skipper returned to the field, he passed in the opposite direction his back row colleague, who had infringed with a high tackle and received the same fate, as the home side upped the tempo.

Replacement hooker Andy TONKIN, who like the rest of the DMPRFC bench had made the required impact on their entering the fray, powered his way to the line for the score which tied the game (12 – 12), but the simplest of conversions took the home side ahead (14 – 12).
West Hartlepool tries to rally, but as the next score was likely to be crucial, it was DMPRFC who added to the scoreboard, with a Grant CONNON penalty (17 – 12).

The visitors did apply a determined pressure in the closing minutes, through a series of catch and drive attempts and scrimmaging efforts, but as the clock ticked down, their final penalty transgression allowed the home side to close out the game.

West Hartlepool were certainly deserving of their losing bonus point on the day and from the league perspective of the home side, another four points keep DMPRFC at the top, as Rossendale slip into third after stuttering at Beverley, while Chester are back into second with a home victory against Lymm.

Things will probably remain tight for the second half of the season, which starts next week for DMPRFC, with a home game against Sandal.