Dorset & Wiltshire 43 - Surrey 22
May
DORSET & WILTS retained their County Championship Shield Crown with a second-half try blitz of Surrey at Twickenham Stadium today.
After trailing 19-17 just after halftime, the men in white romped away with tries from Lewis Warner, Scott Chislett and two from Chippenham replacement Tom Baldwin.
Dorset & Wilts Head Coach Simon Culley said: “It was a slow start but we stuck to our game plan, which is based around speed and width and to score those extra tries at the end of the game was like the icing on the cake.”
Flanker Fraser Clilverd, who captained the team to victory last year, added: “We always knew we were going to be stronger in the second half. We didn’t try and beat them up; we just wanted to use our hands and run the ball. It’s great to come back and win again.”
Surrey centre Rob Clarke of Dorking reflected: “We are disappointed that we didn’t keep hold of the ball long enough. Dorset & Wilts are a good side and they were better on the day. It’s our first time here in five years and we are determined to come back again.”
Dorking No 10 Matt Noble got Surrey off to a dream start with a third-minute penalty as the local side dominated the first 10 minutes.
And it was all Surrey as scrumhalf Steve Munford crashed over and Noble converted for a 10-0 lead.
Midway through the first half Dorset & Wilts rallied and Clilverd went over for a try, converted by captain Adam Westall, to close the gap to three points.
Westall himself crossed from a line-out move and converted before he and Noble traded penalties to leave Dorset & Wilts leading 17-16 at halftime.
Noble landed his fourth penalty to put his side ahead at 19-17 as the second half started in similar ding-dong fashion before Warner and Baldwin waded in, followed by Chislett and then Baldwin again.
Dorset & Wilts: Simon Lilley (Bournemouth); Thomas Pottage (Salisbury), Sean Lilley (Oldfield Old Boys), Scott Chislett (Bournemouth), Christian Novik (Chippenham); Adam Westall (Swindon, capt), Sam Hardcastle (Bournemouth); Tom Dunn (Chippenham), Frazer Wilford (Bournemouth), Alan Manning (Bournemouth), Robert Lyons (Chippenham), Liam Gilbert (Salisbury), Sean Barwick (Salisbury), Fraser Clilverd (Cleve), Jack Hennings (Bournemouth). Reps (all used): Luke Esnouf (Salisbury), Sean Jones (Trowbridge), David Thorpe (Salisbury), Tom Baldwin (Chippenham), James Mitchell (Oakmedians), Terry Gilmour (Salisbury), Lewis Warner (Wimborne).
Sinbinned: Barwick 31-41, Clilverd 49-59
Scorers: Tries: Clilverd, Westall, Warner, Scott, Baldwin (2); Cons: Westall (5); Pen: Westall.
Surrey: Luke Sayer (Barnes); Mike Terelak, Alrich Muller, Rob Clarke (all Dorking), Ollie Brown (Cobham); Matt Noble (Dorking), Steve Munford (Sutton & Epsom); Tom Bristow (Dorking), Nathan Kemp (Wimbledon), Charlie Connor (London Irish Amateurs), Ted Watts (Dorking), Bill Davison (Cobham, capt), Armand Roux, Rob Fee, Harry Watts (all Dorking). Reps (all used): James Catton (Dorking), Pete Wallace (Wimbledon), Leon van Niekerk (Cobham), Ian White (Esher Academy), Ollie Cummings (Dorking), Toby Drake (Esher Academy), Ryan Lucas (Dorking).
Scorers: Try: Munford; Pens: Noble (5); Con: Noble.
Referee: Paul Kimber (RFU)
