OAKMEADIANS 20

WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 20

WEYMOUTH & Portland salvaged a 20-20 draw from their top-of-the-table tussle with Oakmeadians at Meyrick Park, writes Len Clarke.

The Seahorses were trailing all match until the last minute when Matt Savage scored and converted a try of his own making.

With Bournemouth Thirds jettisoning out of the Counties Two Tribute Dorset & Wilts South table, their results have been expunged.

This means leaders Weymouth & Portland now hold a five-point cushion over Oakmeadians, despite starting the weekend with only a one-point gap.

Poor handling and silly mistakes led to Oaks’ first score came from a penalty.

READ MORE: Weymouth & Portland 64-0 Swanage & Wareham Seconds - report

Weymouth & Portland then grounded themselves in the hosts’ half, but unfortunately it was short lived when an interception led to a converted try and a 10-0 deficit.

The Seahorses bounced back midway in the half when from a ruck near their line Craig Barter fed James Newsam, crashing over for an unconverted try.

However, more poor handling resulted in Oakmeadians racing upfield for another converted score and a 17-5 advantage, before a 49-metre penalty made it 20-5 at half-time.

Soon after the restart, Adam Makepeace was yellow carded.

Moments later, the quick-thinking Barter took a quick tap penalty and the ball cleanly fell to Scott Greaney who just squeezed in at the corner post.

After a later penalty by Savage for 20-13, Weymouth & Portland looked set for a losing bonus point.

But with grit and determination the Seahorses infiltrated the Oaks’ 22 and, after a tap over the top, Savage was over before stroking home a difficult conversion with the pressure on.

Unfortunately, Makepeace received a second yellow card just before full-time and the Seahorses await the seriousness of his punishment.

Post-match, captain Bill Hayne said: “I can only commend the determination and resolve the team showed, it was far from our best performance and we were our own worst enemy for the majority of the game.

“To come back from 20-5 down at half-time and then lose a man to the bin and still end in a draw shows the spirit of the team.”

Rich Bament’s men host Wimborne Seconds on Saturday (2.30pm).

Bament said: “It’s tough all the way in now. Wimborne always have a good second team and that will certainly be a tough game.

“They’ve got some very good players. We’ll have to treat it the same as the Swanage game, play what’s in front of us and hopefully get a good result.”

The Seahorses will wait on Hamish Jephcott (head) before the match.