Dorking 20 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 16

Stortford, playing with the benefit of the slope and the slight wind advantage dominated the early exchanges both in terms of possession and territory. The strength of the Dorking defence and a number of handling errors by the visitors combined to keep the home team's line intact. Constant pressure from the visitors was, however, bound to show dividends and these eventually were returned in the shape of three penalties to flyhalf, Tom Coleman. The third, after 19 minutes also produced a yellow card against a Dorking prop for taking out a Stortford catcher in the air, as a dropout was fielded. This served only to emphasise the visitors' problems in breaking down a hard-tackling home defence, as they failed to add to their score over the next 10 minutes. The next score, in fact went to Dorking, with their own penalty after 39 minutes, after their backs gave an object lesson in committing an opponent and passing before contact to run some 70 yards upfield off yet another Stortford handling mistake turned the ball over deep in home territory. The offence, a cynical flyhack from an offside position at a ruck under his own posts by Maehe Austin saw the flanker yellow-carded. Much worse was to come only three minutes later, though, when yet another careless turnover by the visitors gave Dorking another chance to counterattack and the end result, once again was a penalty under the Stortford posts and a yellow card, this time for winger, Wayne Child for a breakdown offence. The successful penalty goal by Dorking's scrumhalf, Munford took the half time score to 6-9. While Stortford had largely themselves to blame for such a modest lead after so much territorial and possessional dominance, they could also consider themselves unfortunate to have had two good try-scoring opportunities frustrated by opposition knock-ons which could very easily have been deemed deliberate and, therefore penalties and potential yellow-card offences.

The home side took ruthless advantage of their two-man advantage at the start of the second half, when they exploited a dreadful kick out of defence by Stortford to run in a try under the posts. The conversion by Munford extended the lead to 13-9. The visitors soon had a chance to narrow the gap to one point with a penalty for a breakdown offence, but Coleman's shot at goal went narrowly wide. The visitors continued to have the better of territory and possession, but never really looked like breaking down Dorking's ever more determined defence, despite the home side having been reduced yet again to 14 men for 10 minutes, as one of their second rows was yellow-carded for repeated breakdown offences. Eventually, though, Stortford finally registered a try after 23 minutes of the half when, following yet another yellow card to the other Dorking second row for another series of breakdown offences, their pack took advantage of the extra man to drive a 5 metre scrum to the opposition line, where a penalty try was awarded, as the scrum was collapsed. Coleman kicked the conversion to put his side 3 points into the lead. Despite continuing to dominate possession, Stortford were unable to break down Dorking's dogged defence and, when, after 33 minutes of the half, the home side were able to gain some half-decent ball, they took full advantage of some poor Stortford tackling to run in a try out wide - albeit needing a bit of good fortune with the bounce, as a pass initially went astray. A great conversion by Munford took the score to 20-16. The visitors continued to hurl their bodies at the Dorking tacklers, but failed to find any weakness and even when acres of space were found as a result of a quick counter-attack, Stortford's backs proved incapable of exploiting the opportunity. The home side were able, therefore to squeeze home, despite playing the majority of the game without the ball to a hard-fought, but well-deserved win.