WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 15

OAKMEADIANS 10

WEYMOUTH & Portland made it a hat-trick of Counties Two Tribute Dorset & Wilts South wins with a 15-10 success over Oakmeadians at Monmouth Avenue.

Early suspicions going into the game were that an attritional game would ensue and those expectations were realised in an energy-sapping contest.

Oaks, unbeaten coming into the match, began brightly and raced into a 10-0 lead after ten minutes courtesy of a converted try and a penalty.

However, Scott Greaney got the Seahorses back into it with a try, Hamish Jeffcott adding the extras.

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Weymouth put pressure on the Oaks to win a penalty of their own and Jeffcott kicked successfully to send the sides into half-time level at 10-10.

Weymouth & Portland had lacked fluency towards the end of the half but soon sorted that ailment out as Tim Comben charged over for the hosts’ second try.

Jeffcott missed the conversion and the half gave way to a power struggle between the sides.

With all three results possible during the closing stages, neither team could break through as a well-fought encounter – typical of their fixtures – ended in Weymouth & Portland’s favour.

Speaking to Echosport, Weymouth & Portland coach Rich Bament admitted his squad has plenty of work to do, despite topping the table after three games.

He said: “We started very slowly and they came flying out of the blocks.

“I thought it was going to be a very long afternoon but credit to ourselves, we got back in it.

“They had some big ball carriers but the key message I wanted to get on was just to keep the ball.

“When we had the ball we looked good with it, but silly mistakes and a few errors gave the ball back to them.

“We have to go from attacking mode into defensive mode. It was hard graft but full character to everybody, they stuck at it and we came away with a grind-out win.

“Some days you don’t deserve to win and others you don’t deserve to lose. I think we did just enough to win it.”

Bament added: “There’s lots to improve but the guys have got to have belief in what we’re trying to do.

“We’re a lot more dangerous with the ball.

“It’s only our second game of the season so give it a couple more weeks.

“We’ve got a week off now and then we’re back for Puddletown, which will be a good derby.

“We’ll have a good couple of weeks in training to get it all bedded down.”