On a blustery day in the capital, tries were a plenty from both sides, however the home side used the conditions more effectively and errors in the visiting defence in the first quarter conspired towards their downfall.

DMPRFC were down 14 points in first 13 minutes, which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides on the day, but this took nothing away from a good Blackheath RFC side, who defended very well and who took their opportunities when presented.

A wayward attempt at a pass by a visiting defender from a speculative home kick into the DMPRFC did not find the intended recipient, leading to two home attackers exchanging a kick forward and a scoring pass for centre Mark Cooke, who strode in under the posts after 8 minutes of play (5 - 0). The conversion was simple for home fly half Joe Tarrant (7 - 0), who was excellent with the boot all day.

Tarrant again had a hand in the next try, when he manufactured a long kick out of defence which bounced before finding touch and with the visiting lineout malfunctioning, a break from a subsequent scrum saw Cooke score his second after some poor defence allowed him to penetrate the midfield en route to touching down under the posts (12 - 0), Tarrant with another simple conversion (14 - 0).

So an already difficult away fixture for DMPRFC against an improving Blackheath RFC side became an uphill struggle with the visitors playing catch up early doors.

The battle for forward superiority was evenly balanced at lineout and scrummage, but DMPRFC's scrum suffered from a lack of policing of the opposition, who's constant step to the left and wheel remained unpunished all game, forcing the visitors No. 8 Dave FISHER into putting in a hard shift at the base.

DMPRFC forced a lineout deep into home territory and from the subsequent catch and drive, hooker Chris WOOD dotted down in reply as the game entered the second quarter (14 - 5).

Just when DMPRFC were enjoying more possession, Blackheath scored in similar fashion from a lineout catch and drive, this time flanker Fred Owen touching down (19 - 5), however this time Tarrant missed his only kick of the day.

Just prior to the break for oranges, Tarrant made amends for the miss with a sweetly struck penalty after DMPRFC were found to be offside (22 - 5).

DMPRFC entered the fray after the break in the knowledge that it was imperative to score first, as if not, the game would quickly become unwinnable.

After four minutes, replacement home winger Jack Walsh gave the visitors added impetus when yellow carded for interfering in a DMPRFC quick tap penalty near the Blackheath line and after a lineout it was some relief that fly half Garry LAW touched down after some good interplay between the visiting forwards and backs (22 - 10), converting his own try (22 - 12) to herald some semblance of a fight back.

Tarrant replied with a penalty (25 - 12) extending the home sides lead, but not to be outdone LAW scored his second try (25 - 17) to drag the visitors back into the mix.

Blackheath responded with a try of their own by winger Geoff Griffiths to put the home side further in front (30 - 17), converted by Tarrant (32 - 17).

The killer blow for the visitors, who were still in the game at this stage came in the 66th minute, when the man in the middle awarded the home side a penalty try, when an attacking scrum 5-metres out twisted, as it had done all game and DMPRFC were punished at the first offence (37 - 17), again Tarrant converting (39 - 17).

DMPRFC had the last word with a consolation try which brought with it the bonus point, when replacement hooker Jordan POOLE powered his way over from close range (39 - 22), converted by LAW (39 - 24).

The result meant that Blackheath RFC leap-frogged DMPRFC into third place by one point in in the league, however with other results favourable, DMPRFC retained fourth place.

A big thank you on behalf of the squad, to the travelling support who were, as always, audible throughout.

Photo Credit - Blackheath RFC