Pellow’s fight extends Dagger’s run

By Stuart Briggs

Bridport First XV 29

Oakmedians 19

Two Jack Pellow tries helped The Daggers stretch their unbeaten run to six games as they overturned a half-time deficit to beat second-placed Oakmedians in a hard-fought display.

The first half was a close-run contest with returning stalwart Mitch Waters uncharacteristically off target with three kicks, including an attempt to convert his own try, leaving the Daggers trailing 11-12 at the break.

The Daggers started on the front foot and Waters had missed two penalties, before slotting home from his third attempt to open the scoring, after Samways had drawn an infringement following

Puzzle solutions

a break into the Oaks’ 22. The home side were straight back in the Oaks’ half with a good break by Jude Appleton. The Daggers’ scrum, which has been superb this season, forced the Oaks to knock on and clean ball from Lewis to Samways enabled a quick offload to Waters who drove over from the 22 to extend the Daggers’ lead, but was unable to add the extra two points. The home defence was half asleep, when Oaks turned over the kick off and broke the defence for an immediate response, scoring in the corner, although Bridport soon regained the advantage when Mcloughlin broke over half-way before forcing a penalty, which Waters duly converted. For the second time though, the Daggers were caught napping when Oaks took a quick penalty and scored under the posts, which was converted to give the visitors a narrow advantage at half-time.

A superb long-range penalty from Waters restored the Daggers’ advantage early in the second period, but the away side responded with a breakaway try in the corner, after Jed Gravelle was unlucky not to score at the other end. The Oaks try was converted to leave them 19-14 ahead.

The Daggers’ response was immediate, with Lewis making a clean break into the 22, quick ball out to Pellow resulting in a five-metre penalty. From the tap and go, Waters sucked in the defence and quick ball and a long pass out to Pellow enabled him to just squeeze in the corner to tie the scores. n The Daggers travel to Puddletown on Saturday, February 11, with a trip to face Swanage and Wareham Second XV a week later.

From the kick off, Mcloughlin and Pellow combined well taking the Daggers into the Oaks’ half and when Lewis made a clean break, Samways could not hold his offload. Oaks cleared their lines and when they tried to clear the ball from a scrum on halfway Pellow, intercepted to run clear and score under the posts. Waters soon made it a two-score game with another successful penalty, and the Daggers played out the remainder of the match with controlled forward play and possession rugby.

From pages 80-81

Brain chain (Hard)