In a game where Rotherham Titans were anxious to hold on to their early unbeaten home record and DMPRFC were looking to extend their early unbeaten away record, it was inevitable that something had to give in this fixture and accordingly it went right down to the wire.

DMPRFC won the game with the last play, with ex-Rotherham player Callum IRVINE heavily instrumental in its inception.

With the game seemingly heading for a draw, which to be fair was about the right result, a last attack from the visitors proved the decisive factor and brought the rewards.

What had preceded those final few minutes was an extremely close encounter, with both teams defences the highlight of the game at Rotherham Titans Clifton Lane HQ. Such was the ferocity of the early exchanges between the opposing players, that the home team lost four players to injury in the first forty minutes, with centre James COOKE leaving the field of play after only three minutes, followed by prop Reece WARD (5 mins), lock Elliott WARD (32 mins) and prop Toby WILLIAMS (39 mins).

For the first fifteen minutes of the game, an arm wrestle ensued, with neither side able to penetrate the afor -mentioned defensive line of the opposition.

Visiting fly half Warren SEALS broke the deadlock with a finely struck penalty kick as the game approached the end of the first quarter, when the home side transgressed at a ruck. (0 – 3)

Within a few minutes, the same visiting player had the opportunity to double his sides lead with another, when again Rotherham fell foul of the official, this time failing to release after the tackle. However, the shot drifted wide.

Rotherham constructed a decent attack and looked certain to score but for a despairing defensive tackle from DMPRFC scrum half Euan McKIRDY, which brought proceedings to a halt. The tackle was adjudged to be high and believing a try would have resulted, the result of a conference between the referee and his assistant was a penalty try awarded to the home side, with McKIRDY sent to the bin for the customary ten minutes. (7 – 3)

Next, Mowden were penalised at scrum time, with home fly half Sam HOLLINGSWORTH slotting the resulting penalty to increase the home sides lead. (10 – 3)

As the game moved towards oranges, Mowden mounted a final attack and with the normally resolute home defence looking slightly vulnerable for the first time, after a series of pick and drives, visiting skipper and No. 8 Ollie HODGSON barged over, (10 – 8), and with SEALS adding the extras, (10 – 10) both teams went back into the changing rooms all square at the break.

It was more of the same in the second half, with defences snuffing out the few scoring opportunities.

HOLLINGSWORTH added a penalty for Rotherham (13 – 10), which was cancelled out similarly be SEALS (13 – 13) as the game appeared to be heading for the draw.

As time ticked on towards no side, Mowden attacked through Callum IRVINE, who managed to weave his way through a flagging defensive line, and fling out an audacious pass on to centre Ben DIXON to score and in doing so break the hearts of the home faithful. (13 – 18). SEALS missed the extras, which was immaterial as the kick was followed by the final whistle, with Mowden maintaining their unbeaten away record.

ROTHERHAM TITANS RFC SQUAD
15. Tomas BACON, 14. Ben ROBBINS, 13. James COOKE (Morgan BUNTING, 3), 12. Harry DUNNE, 11. Connor FIELD, 10. Sam HOLLINGSWORTH, 9. Connor DEVER, 1. Toby WILLIAMS (Harry WHITFIELD, 39), 2. Harry NEWBORN, Reece WARD (William DENNIS, 5), 4. Elliott WARD (Daniel PRESTON-ROUTLEDGE, 32) 5. Lewis WILSON (Elliott WARD, 64), 6. Zakery POOLE, 7. Keifer LAXTON (Alfie NORTH, 54), 8. Anthony MAKA (Lewis WILSON, 76).

Replacements – All Used.

ROTHERHAM TITANS RFC SCORING
Try: None
Conversion: None
Penalty: HOLLINGSWOTH (29, 64)
Drop Goal: None
Penalty Try: (27)

DMPRFC SQUAD
15. Callum IRVINE, 14. Brandon ASHER-WOOD, 13. Oliver WALKER (Aidan MALONEY, 64), 12. Benjamin DIXON, 11. Callum MACKENZIE, 10. Warren SEALS, 9. Euan McKIRDY, 1. Conrad CADE (Alfie BARRON, 56), 2. Ralph APPLEBY (Joseph DUFFY, 48), Ignas DARKINTIS, 4. Max DAVIES, 5. DaVid FISHER, 6. Daniel GRANGE (Thomas MARSHALL, 54), 7. George STOKES, 8. Oliver HODGSON.

Replacements: Talite VAIOLETI (Not Used)
Yellow Card - Euan McKIRDY (DMPRFC)

DMPRFC SCORING
Try: HODGSON (40), DIXON (79)
Conversion: SEALS (40)
Penalty: SEALS (16, 75)
Drop Goal: None
Penalty Try: None

Attendance: 617
HT: 10 – 10
FT: 13 – 18
Player of the Match: Ben DIXON (DMPRFC)
Referee: Mr James Philip CLARKE
Referee’s Assistants: Mr Tudor GRIFFITHS, Mr Matt DAUBNEY

NEXT WEEK – OLD ELTHAMIANS RFC (H)