Blackheath Shut Out Mowden

A second consecutive away defeat for DMPRFC has cancelled out their impressive two maximum point winning start to the season, dropping the club into mid-table.

There have not been very many occasions when they have not registered on the scoreboard either, but on a wet day at Blackheath’s Well Hall HQ, it was the home side who managed the conditions better, in what proved to a low scoring, attritional game, where both sides squandered what few scoring opportunities presented themselves.

DMPRFC would consider themselves as having put in a ‘below par’ performance, with some key players not at their best, whilst others, including the combative flanker George STOKES, were notable exceptions.

During the first twenty minutes of play, both teams endeavoured to control the game, with the home side edging the scrum. With handling a problem, both fly halves sought to conduct aerial exchanges and as half-time loomed.

DMPRFC did have an opportunity to score when the ball was hacked on, with both Garry LAW and Brandon ASHER-WOOD, winning the race for the ball, the Blackheath defence struggling to get back. However, although LAW got to the ball first, his offload to his winger found a Blackheath defender and the chance had gone.

Blackheath broke the deadlock when the home forwards drove a lineout into the visitors half, then released the ball, with full back Clements-Hill spinning out a long pass to winger Lloyd, who duly obliged with the touchdown, (5 – 0) Clements-Hill missing the conversion from wide out.

The full back made amends just prior to oranges, with a sweetly struck penalty from all of 40 metres, giving the home side a slender lead at the break (8 – 0), with both sides feeling capable of pushing on for the win in the second half.

On resumption of play, DMPRFC’s opportunities were limited due to Blackheath’s monopoly of the ball and visitors were even further hampered, when lock Talite VAIOLETI was sin-binned for pulling down a maul.

From the resulting scrum, DMPRFC were shunted backwards, with the extra man the difference and scrum half Daly dived over for the try (13 – 0), Clements-Hill converting (15 – 0) giving them a lead that was never surpassed and they deservedly ran out winners.