After three close run home defeats, it was important for DMPRFC to register their first home victory of the 2019/20 National League One campaign soon and this they did with aplomb yesterday, with a fine win against much fancied Old Elthamians RFC.

However, the visitors began the game very well, showing flashes of how they managed to demolish Birmingham Moseley RFC (46 - 3) last weekend, with classy fly half Tom WHITE at the helm, behind a very strong pack of forwards.

It wasn’t long before their forwards pressurised the home line with a serious of powerful pick and drives, resulting in prop Tom CONCU scoring a try and the first points of the game (0 – 5), WHITE adding the conversion. (0 – 7)

It wasn’t long before O.E.’s were on the attack again, but this time WHITE decided to intervene and slotted a decent drop goal (0 – 10), an art seldom seen in today’s game.

So with ten minutes gone, the home side were as many points down and had seen very little possession with which to progress.

Home prop Ignas DARKINTIS retired injured after only eleven minutes of play, necessitating an early introduction from stalwart prop Ralph APPLEBY, who went on to have an impressive game.

As the home forwards muscled themselves into the game, lock Max DAVIES finished off a series of pick and drives to register the home sides first points (5 – 10), which were quickly followed up with Warren SEALS adding the conversion. (7 – 10)

SEALS levelled the scores with a well struck penalty (10 – 10) to level the scores, but O.E.’s responded again via the forwards, with flanker Adam BATT touching down after a chip through had split the home defence. (10 – 15), WHITE again converting. (10 – 17)

So after twenty-two minutes of play, O.E.’s deservedly edged ahead, but this to be their last interference with the scoreboard, as DMPRFC gradually took over and began to dominate the second quarter of the first half.

First, SEALS added a penalty, (13 – 17) and then just prior to the interval, replacement APPLEBY went over after a catch and drive from a lineout (18 – 17) and with SEALS assuredly adding the extras (20 – 17), the home side rook a slight lead at oranges.

O.E.’s produced their best before the break and were a shadow of that in the second half, failing to score and uncharacteristically running out of steam, with their replacements not having the impact of that of DMPRFC, with APPLEBY, new hooker James DOUGLAS, Joe CRAGGS, Talite VAIOLETI and Chris McTURK, all adding value when entering the fray.

The game continued as an arm wrestle for dominance, with DMPRFC increasingly gaining the upperhand as the clock ticked over.

SEALS had a couple of penalty shots at goal and was successful with one, edging DMPRFC further ahead. (23 – 17)

It was a break by replacement CRAGGS in the final ten minutes, who secured the opportunity for scrum half Euan McKIRDY to score the next try for DMPRFC, with the former making a break through a catch and drive attacking lineout, with McKIRDY following up for the touchdown, (28 – 17) SEALS adding the conversion. (30 – 17)

The home side were now in control, as O.E.’s attacking incursions became few and far between.

As the visitors became desperate, they began to make mistakes and it wasn’t long before DMPRFC capitalised, with APPLEBY profiting with his second try of the day as the clock ticked down, (35 – 17), with Warren SEALS converting. (37 – 17)

A fine home performance.

DMPRFC SQUAD
15.Joe LANE, 14. Brandon ASHER-WOOD, 13. Oliver WALKER, 12. Ben DIXON, 11. Callum MACKENZIE (Chris McTURK, 66), 10. Warren SEALS, 9 Euan McKIRDY, 1. Alfie BARRON, 2. Joe DUFFY (James DOUGLAS, 57), 3. Ignas DARLINTIS (Ralph APPLEBY, 11), 4. Max DAVIES (Talite VAIOLETI, 66), 5. Dave FISHER, 6. Dan GRANGE (Joe CRAGGS, 54), 7. George STOKES, 8. Ollie HODGSON.
Replacements: All Used.

SCORING:
Try: DAVIES (13), APPLEBY (38, 80), McKIRDY (76)
Conversion: SEALS (14, 39,77, 80)
Penalty: SEALS (19, 28, 60)
Drop Goal: None
Penalty Try: None
Yellow Card: None
Red Card: None

OLD ELTHAMIANS RFC SQUAD
15. Louis BROWN (Charls DOCKERY,61) 14. Bryan HOTSTON, 13. March KOTECZKY, 12. George EASTWELL, 11. George PERKINS, 10. Tom WHITE, 9. Oliver CLAXTON (Rhys MORGAN, 48), 1. Thomas CONCU, 2. Jared SAUNDERS (Nathan MORRIS, 59), 3. Austin HAY (Stefan NORTH, 59), 4. Dylan FLASHMAN (Joshua DEVINE, 61), 5. Sam OFFER, 6. Adam BATT, 7. Hamish BARTON, 8. Ben KING.
Replacements: All Used

SCORING:
Try: CONCU (4), BATT (21)
Conversion: WHITE (5, 22)
Penalty: None
Drop Goal: WHITE (10)
Penalty Try: None
Yellow Card: None
Red Card: None

Attendance: 675
Referee: Mr James O’BRIEN
Referee’s Assistants: Mr Paul FINCKEN, Mr Daniel WOODS
Player of the Match: Ralph APPLEBY (DMPRFC)

NEXT WEEK – CANTERBURY RFC V DMPRFC

50/50 Draw Winner - Ticket 1264