Match report: Swanage & Wareham

Daggers got back to winning ways coming back from 16 points down midway through the first half to win a high scoring game 62-40. Despite only having 17 players Daggers produced a second half performance of excellent handling skills aligned to some superb offloads to run in 5 tries and overwhelm their tiring opponents.

From the kick off Daggers were soon on the offensive and when Sam Petchey ran back a Swans missed touch kick offloading to Joe Swan who broke defence and freed Charlie Samways for the touch down, Petchey’s conversion drifted wide.

Swans struck back immediately when their dangerous scrum half chipped through from the 22 and with a kind bounce scored under the posts. The Daggers response was also immediate, Wes Lewis intercepted a loose ball and broke into the 22, offloading to Petchey who almost put Jordan Neil in the corner. The ball was quickly recycled back to Neil who scored in the corner. Swans with a repeat of their first score were next on the scoreboard as the number 9 chipped through and beat the cover defence to score. Swans quickly followed this up when loose ball was kicked through, Pellow and Petchey chasing the ball accidently collided allowing Swans to score and Petchey left the field with a knock to the head. Swans extended their lead to 16 points with a further converted try as the Daggers handling was letting them down in promising positions. However, they made amends when an excellent inside ball from Neil put Samways in. The gap was closed to 2 points just on half time when Nathan Herbert made an excellent break being held up on the line with the referee awarding a penalty try for handling in the ruck to give Swans a 26-24 at the break.

From the kick off Swans soon re-established their 16 point advantage when a Samways pass was intercepted on the 22 for a run under the posts and following a knock to Pellow who went off Swans took advantage of a loose ball at a Daggers scrum to score what would be their last try of the game.

As in the previous 2 games Daggers dug deep and showed the fighting spirit which has been a feature of this season by hitting back in a controlled display of ball handling, line breaks and offloads to overwhelm their opponents. Swans kicked a loose ball deep in to Daggers 22 forcing Neil to make a covering kick into touch. Daggers had a free kick from the lineout gaining good field position. From a resulting scrum a loose ball was gathered by Joe Swan to drive powerfully for the line and score under the posts.

From the kick off Stewart Burton broke over half way and from his accurate kick through Kian Bentley beat the cover defence to score. Daggers now turned the screw as Mcloughlin drove powerfully over half way offloading to Andy Easton who fed Neil to run in under the posts. Swan got his second when Mcloughlin again broke clear with Lewis and Samways combining to put Swan in under the posts. It was all Daggers now and when Swans were penalised on their 22 Samways took the wise decision to kick for a three score lead. The match was capped with yet another break by Mcloughlin who somehow managed to offload to Nathan Herbert and with superb hands back to Mcloughlin to Easton and on to Lewis for the final score of the game.

Before the game it was announced that Jack Pellow and Kian Bentley had been selected for the Dorset County U 20 squad of which the club are very proud.

Daggers next game is on the 4th March away to league leaders Weymouth who will be looking to avenge their defeat at the Brewery Ground before Christmas.