| Dings 17 - Shelford 18 |
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On a wet windy afternoon the game was a scrappy with neither side able to gain any real control, despite out scoring visitors Shelford three tries to two Dings managed to conjure up another defeat. Deep into injury time with the final whistle due at the next breakdown the Dings pack had possession in the Shelford twenty two when they inexplicably released the ball to the backs where it got turned over and hacked up field for full back Ed Gough to outstrip the defence and claim the winning try. Dings opened brightly and dominated the opening ten minutes and took the lead on six minutes with a try from No 8 Gavin Curry touching down from a forward drive over the line. Shelford hit back on eleven minutes with their first attack, a free kick on the Dings twenty two saw the visitors set up a series of drives taking them to the try line for flanker Scot Jackowski to touchdown, Gough added the touchline conversion to give the visitors the lead. Five minutes later Gough added a penalty to extend the lead with another fine long kick. With the game pretty even and after chances at both ends Dings regained the lead on thirty four minutes with a try from scrum half Ricky Jones after good pressure from the Dings pack, Adam Westall added the conversion for 12-10 to Dings. Dings who were on the wrong side of referee Greg MacDonald for most of the half conceded yet another penalty on the stroke of halftime for Gough to regain the lead for the visitors. In the second half with the wind in their favour Shelford used it well continually kicking deep to pen Dings in their own twenty two for long periods but the Dings defence was well organised and never really looked like conceding a try. It was Dings next on the score sheet regaining the lead on fifty four minutes with a try for wing Orlando Stott after the pack had driven the ball deep into the visitors twenty two and produced a quick feed along the line. With a couple of missed penalty attempts by both sides Dings looked to have secured the win when in possession deep in the visitors half with just seconds remaining, but a poor turnover saw the visitors hack up field for full back Gough to touchdown for a last ditch victory to Shelford and a third straight defeat for Dings.
Dings – Curry 1T, Jones 1T, Stott 1T, Westall 1C Shelford – Jackowski 1T, Gough 1T 2P 1C Dings Man of the Match – Lock Ed Hack
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