DMRFC 24 v PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS RFC 11

Tries from No. 8 Guy can den DRIES, flanker Jack ALLCOCK, wing Shaun McCARTNEY and replacement scrum half Zylon McGAFFIN, together with two conversions from fly half Max CONNON, sealed the win for the home side, in a game full of whistle related interruptions.

The game started brightly enough for DMPRFC, when after a succession of breakdown offences were conceded by the visitors and when one of the penalties was kicked into the corner and from the ensuing catch and drive from the forwards, No. 8 Guy van den DRIES scored, as the visitors were shunted back over their own line (0 – 5).

Fly half Max CONNON added a difficult conversion from the touchline (0 – 7).

As the home pack began to dominate, more of the same followed, when after a losing a defensive scrum on their own 22 metre line, the visitors went further behind, when flanker Jack ALLCOCK joined the line and crossed the whitewash, again wide out (12 – 0). This time the conversion was edged wide.

DMPRFC lost industrious flanker Jack ALLCOCK with an ankle injury, to be replaced by Ollie HODGSON.

The visitors, who were being contained in their own half, responded with a successful penalty (12 – 3), before winger Shaun McCARTNEY received the ball and stormed down his wing, leaving defenders in his wake, again to score in the corner (17 – 3).

As the home side looked as if they would push on for the try bonus point before oranges, a bizarre sequence of events conspired to leave them exacerbated and down to 13 men, just prior to the interval.

Firstly, home hooker Ross DONEGAN was sent to ‘the cooler’, when he was adjudged to have been off his feet, competing for the ball at the ruck, after little warning. From the resulting penalty, Preston Grasshoppers added to their score with a penalty from DMPRFC’s 22 metre line (17 – 6).

Secondly, within five minutes of that, No. 8 Guy van den DRIES received the same fate, deep into injury time, after DMPRFC were adjudged to have again accumulatively transgressed at the ruck and harshly penalised.

As oranges arrived shortly afterwards, DMPRFC were consigned to the changing rooms, destined to return with depleted numbers, allowing Preston Grasshoppers RFC a sense that a fight back may be on the cards.

DMPRFC however, started the brighter and in spite of their reduced numbers, continued to press for the bonus point try.

Unfortunately, a mixture of interruptions for injuries and replacement stoppages, together with a creditable and determined effort by the visitors to impose their own will on the game, DMPRFC allowed frustration to enter their psyche, even when returned to a full complement.

Preston Grasshoppers did confine DMPRFC to their own half of the field for long periods in the second half and made several breaks in midfield, finally rewarded with a try for their No. 8 from the back of a scrum, which to be fair was only what they deserved (17 – 11).

Even with the scores relatively close, as time ticked away, the burning question was not could the visitors land an upset, but could DMPRFC rally back and score the important bonus point try.

This question was answered ten minutes later, when the ‘little general’ in the form of replacement scrum half Zylon McGAFFIN marshalled his forwards from a catch and drive lineout and managed to get on the end of it to touch down, thus registering his first score in his first 1ST XV game of the season (22 – 11).

Fly half Max CONNON kicked the conversion (24 – 11) wrapping up the game and the eventual bonus point win for DMPRFC.