Tunbridge Wells 13 - Dorking 15
Apr
Dorking moved to sixth place in the league on Saturday with their fourth consecutive victory in a game of contrasts. From the dazzling sunlight to the biblically dark clouds and deluges that often coincided; from a first half with four tries to a second half with none, it was a game that belied its dead rubber status as both teams battled hard to gain the ascendancy. Victory for the Red and Whites means that their mid-season goal of a top four finish remains in sight, albeit dependant on Tunbridge and their hosts next week, Sidcup, playing out a draw.
The game started in the aftermath of one of the more potent storms but the recently re-graded pitch held up remarkably well. Indeed, its summer guise as a cricket outfield meant that it was one of the better surfaces Dorking have played on all season. With a youthful team selected, where remarkably, Number 8 Jason Geldenhuys was the oldest forward, Dorking were looking initially to playing a wider game. However, the capricious breeze, wet ball and the now skiddy surface meant that there was much to be gained through raking kicks. With Tunbridge having the deceptive slope to their advantage and Dorking the temperamental breeze, both sides made good yardage from the boot.
It was Dorking who opened the scoring after applying plenty of pressure on the home defense. Several phases of play in the now bright sunlight drew the home backs into the breakdown and left Ben Lucas with the chance of an outside break in their 22. Lucas showed his opposite man a clean pair of heals to slice diagonally to the line. Full back Stuart Fee lost his footing with the conversion and it scudded across the surface to leave Dorking with a 5-0 lead. Shortly afterwards, he made amends with an excellently taken penalty to stretch the lead out to 8-0.
It was at this point that Dorking proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot. With their defence proving solid from Tunbridge’s first phase ball and with the experienced home fly half having to resort to using his cultured boot, it was Dorking who presented them with their scoring opportunities. Twice in succession, Dorking were a little ambitious with their offload attempts and instead gave the ball to the swift home three quarters. Twice they scooted around the desperate Dorking defence to score. Excellent chasing did force the scores to be made out wide and this was to prove critical as the home kicker failed with both conversion attempts to give them a 10-8 lead.
Dorking hit back immediately after some powerful incursions from skipper Armand Roux, the Leviathanithic Eric Liebenberg and the sprightly Geldenhuys, while the 18 year olds George Kruis and James Catton and the slightly older Dom Elsbury enjoying smashing opponents who had the temerity to try to sneak through at close quarters. From a scrum close to the Tunbridge line, potent running from Geldenhuys and Simon Burgess created space for the three quarters and Vice-Captain Ed Gardner was at the end of the line for a try of text book planning and execution. This time, Fee struck the ball sweetly to bisect the posts to take Dorking out to a 15-10 lead. A first successful kick from the home fly half brought the score to 15-13 as the half drew to a close.
The second half was a more attritional affair. Dorking were on the end of some bewildering decisions from the referee who appeared to have taken umbrage with them. Three times Dorking were on the cusp of a game clinching score only to be stymied by his whistle. However, the stoic defensive work throughout the side kept the home side at bay and in spite of another highly dubious decision being compounded by back chat from Fee; Tunbridge could not break the Brockham side down again. With the showers continuing and the ball proving hard to grasp, the judicious kicking of Fee and Ben Allard kept Tunbridge pinned back and great pride could be taken for the stalwart efforts of all involved. The second half passed with no further scores to leave Dorking victors by 15-13 and pushed them to equal fourth on points but sixth on points difference.
It is perhaps frustrating that Dorking have left it until now to play with such passion and verve both in attack and defense. Had they displayed the level of consistency all season that they have finally managed to string together, they could and perhaps should be pushing the tops sides to the wire. However, as a consolidation season goes, it has been an excellent effort. Amazingly, Dorking have now employed over 50 players in the 1st XV, the latest of which was last season’s U17 captain and England U18 no 8, Chris York, fresh from his work with Harlequins A’s. There is a host of young players waiting in the wings for their opportunity and next season promises to be an exciting one. Several talented players are returning from University and several other long term injuries are finally resolving themselves. A win next week at home to Old Colfeians would be the perfect way to sign off a season that was looked at with some trepidation back in August.
Dorking squad: Liebenberg, Catton, Elsbury, Kruis, Burgess, Roux (Capt) Lucas B, Geldenhuys, Cummings, Allard, Gardner, Kemp, Love, Lucas R, Fee. Subs: Bircher, York, Simpson.
