Daggers Return to the Top of the Table

After Storm Dennis forced this game to be re-arranged from the week before, The Blues travelled to Wimborne with a reduced squad.

However, they didn’t let that unsettle them, as early pressure saw them take the lead through two early penalties taken by Mitch Waters.

Although Bridport looked comfortable going forward, Wimborne started to find some rhythm which allowed them to score a converted try.

The Daggers started to rebuild and Wimborne infringed which saw a kick into their 22.  The line out was won and good phases built but unfortunately the ball was knocked on and from the resulting scrum Wimborne cleared their lines. The ball was chased well by Wimborne but they knocked on.  From the scrum Bridport broke and made 60 metres. Wimborne regained possession but soon lost it as Waters stripped the ball, then broke the ensuing tackle and offloaded the ball to George Hussey, who scored out wide.

Bridport took the restart with the forwards gaining ground. The ball was then fed out to the backs and Oscar Tompkins chipped the ball through which was collected by Waters, who scored.

Half time and Bridport led 16 – 7.

Wimborne were awarded a penalty but unfortunately their kick didn’t find touch which allowed Tompkins to launch another attack.  He was impeded illegally and from the resulting kick to touch and line out Seamus Fitzgerald made a fine break. As he went to ground a ruck was formed and from a pre-planned move Jamie Livingston went over to score with Waters adding the extras.

From the restart Bridport knocked on but at the scrum they were awarded a penalty. Waters cleared and from the line out another good move saw a hard running Livingston go over for the bonus point try again with Waters adding the extras.

The Daggers had now settled into their game plan, again found themselves in Wimborne’s 22 and with a scrum awarded on the 5 metre line and a dominant scrum the pushover try was scored by Hussey.

This seemed to rally Wimborne and for a while they had quality possession but inevitably they conceded a penalty, which Bridport kicked just short of their 22. The resulting line out and maul saw Brett Chant break from the back and offload to Tom ‘Galloping’ Gamwell who sprinted down the touch line to cross the whitewash.

The Daggers again applied pressure from the restart and strong work from forwards and backs saw them cross the line, only for the ball to be held up.  Bridport, with the scrum advantage again went for the pushover and Hussey fell on the ball to score his third try of the afternoon.

With the game in its final moments a frantic restart saw Bridport batter their way back  into Wimborne’s half and a storming run from Fitzgerald saw him cross the line, which was quickly converted and finished off a fine afternoon for Bridport and saw them return to the top of the table.

Final score 54-7.