Match Report: Dover 5 - Wimbledon 32

This match should have kicked-off at 2pm, it didn’t start until 2.33pm which meant that it finished in near darkness. No matter, Wimbledon scored an emphatic bonus point victory on a heavy pitch that has seen several defeats for Wimbledon in earlier years. The visitors raced into an early lead when skipper Neil Hallett saw a gap open in the defence and darted through under the posts in the 5th minute, the conversion was taken. The two Wimbledon centres Ti Pairama and Neil Brown were entertaining their opposite numbers with some heavy tackles and eventually another penalty was awarded, Hallett again obliged and with the forwards playing well against a heavy pack some good possession was secured. Lock Campbell Tait especially was getting good line-out ball and the scrum was steady. This led on 25 minutes to another penalty attempt for Hallett from about 45 metres. The score moved on to 13 – 0 to the visitors.
This was the half time score and with Dover hardly getting out of their own half, but they repeatedly offered Wimbledon penalties for side entry to mauls and offsides in the centres. Eventually the referee decided that a yellow card was deserved and Dover’s centre left the field. Wimbledon were unable to take their chances when playing against 14 men, but with the darkness falling a breakout by full back James McCann lead to hooker Dave Roberts forcing his way over for the second try. Dover then gained some territory in the Wimbledon half, used a good kick to the corner to get a position for their lock Haydon Annekie to force his way over after a good driving maul from the Dover pack. The try could not be converted but with Wimbledon’s superior fitness now being seen, some comedy was seen. Dover’s centre intercepted the ball from an offside position, and set off unopposed for the posts. He was called back and some words were exchanged, the team were marched back 10 metres and Wimbledon declined to kick at goal and kicked the resulting penalty to the corner. A quick ball was moved down the line until Hallett kicked the ball back towards where it had all started and flanker Steve May on his own on the wing was able to gather, run round and score under the posts. The conversion was a formality. At 27 – 5 and in the darkness Wimbledon sought their bonus point and it was achieved with an unconverted try in the left hand corner for winger Rhys Morgan.
The League now takes a break until 3rd January when Wimbledon will be at home to Charlton Park with a 2.15pm kick-off.