Strong win

The game started with Acklam in the ascendency, their large forwards running at DMP and the defences over eagerness to get the ball resulting in a number of penalty offences. Despite territorial advantage, Acklam were unable to get much beyond the DMP 22 metre line thanks to very strong tackling across the width of the pitch.

After weather this early pressure DMP started to get into the game and some good kicking from John Grey helped them deep into the Acklam half. From a penalty Tom Dixon drove into the Acklam 22, Lyle Godfrey drove further down the blind side committing Acklam defenders and as the ball was recycled John Grey was on hand to exploit the space created for the opening try.

The pattern continued with Acklam finding it hard to breach the DMP defence. With a wall of defenders up on them quickly, Acklam started to take risks which led to 2 tries in as many minutes for Sol Kench. Firstly he expertly read a flight end Acklam pass to intercept and run in under the posts from 40 metres and then he hacked through a loose ball to add the third try. Conversions from John Grey and Will Todd made it 19 nil on 19 minutes.

As DMP continued to press Acklam gave away a penalty when Will Todd was tackled after he'd kicked ahead from which Joe Berry made good ground and Lyle Godfrey was on hand to add a 4th try with the last play of the half.

Half-time score 0 - 24

Acklam came out strong again in the second half, but good DMP defence, especially from Tom Dixon, Joe Berry, Callum Poppitt and Dylan Sharp kept play in the middle of the pitch. Whilst Acklam were dominant in the scrum and line out, the combination of strong loose play and quick hands from Callum Poppitt helped keep DMP on top. That supremacy became telling on 30 minutes when Acklam had a man yellow carded and from the penalty Lyle Godfrey added his second try of the day, weaving through the defence after good forward interplay - although not sure it was from Coach Berry's playbook! Will Todd added the conversion.

DMP continued to tackle well and not let Acklam have any sniff if a score. Some more good kicking from John Grey almost resulted in another try, but from the ensuing 5 metre scrum tight head prop Tom Dixon appeared at number 8 to drive over for a try which Sol Kench converted. Another John Grey kick soon caused more confusion in the Acklam defence and Sam Berry was on hand to score.

Final score 0 - 43

Tries: John Grey, Sol Kench (2), Lyle Godfrey (2), Tom Dixon, Sam Berry
Conversions: John Grey, Will Todd (2), Sol Kench

Man of the Match: Callum Poppitt