OAKMEADIANS 10

WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 34

ALTHOUGH the 34-10 scoreline in favour of Weymouth & Portland may suggest an easy victory this was no walkover against Oakmeadians at Meyrick Park.

Victory helped the Seahorses stay just a point behind leaders Blandford, level with North Dorset in a closely-contested table.

Conditions for this Tribute Dorset & Wilts One South clash were not good with a wet ball, a slippery surface and a strong wind which Weymouth had to play against in the first half.

However the visiting forwards were once again superb and often pushed the opposition pack backwards on the greasy pitch.

The first try came early on with some neat interplay between Will Quick and Scott Greaney which resulted in Quick scoring wide out.

READ MORE: Bridport 6-35 Weymouth & Portland - match report

Ryan Lewendon kicked a magnificent conversion which he soon followed with a penalty to put the visitors 10-0 up.

Despite having the wind behind them most of the play was in the hosts’ half of the pitch but on one of their few forays into the Weymouth half they scored a converted try.

Weymouth responded quickly with Andy Bowditch making a forceful run from 35 metres out to give Lewendon a simple conversion.

Just before half-time we suffered a double blow with Chris Norton and Bowditch both being injured and replaced by the returning Dan Hayne and Sean Murphy, who has re-joined the club from Wimborne.

Oakmeadians kicked a penalty before the break but Weymouth & Portland were on the attack soon after the restart.

Following a maul the ball went through the hands of Jacob Cummings, Murphy and Matt Savage who put Quick in for his second try.

With the forwards in the ascendancy it was Will McLaren’s turn to cross the whitewash in his first score for the Seahorses.

Murphy was then credited with a touchdown when the visitors pushed Oaks back from a five-metre scrum, Lewendon converting.

Post-match, coach Rich Bament said: “After four weeks of no game I thought the lads were straight back into the groove quickly against a good determined Oaks team that caused us trouble at the breakdown in the first 30 minutes.

“We discussed at half-time ways to counter this which proved successful.

“It was pleasing to see us gain the try bonus point with the weather conditions.

“Once again the forwards laid the platform, however it was far from a forward-oriented game with the backs getting plenty of ball as well which shows with three of the tries coming from our backs after good interplay.

“I thought Will Quick had a great game at full-back in tricky conditions and he was constantly a voice organising the team in front of him which I was very impressed with.

“Overall, a good performance which stands us in good stead for next week against Puddletown.”

Seahorses: Belcuore, Beynon, A Bowditch, D Bowditch, Comben, Cummings, Davies, Greaney, B Hayne, D Hayne, Lewendon, McLaren, Murphy, Norton, Oaksford, W Quick, Savage.