Dover 1st XV 17 Lordswood 19

After last weeks stunning performance Dover were given a reality check narrowly losing to a good and physical Lordswood side, who finished fourth in London 3 last season.
With the advantage of the slope in the opening half the visitors immediately pressurised Dover and after only 7 minutes a loose pass was seized upon in the middle of the park and awful defending by the hosts saw Lordswood open their account with a well worked score.
Dover were fortunate enough to be given a number of penalties in their favour, however they found difficulty in reaching touch and much needed possession was wasted. Dover reduced the deficit when Martyn Beaumont kicked a penalty from 30 metres but the response from Lordswood was almost immediate when their pack drove over from a 5 metre lineout and the conversion followed.
The Sharks did at times have a number of good opportunities with one run from Ed Close worthy of mention. One penalty attempt was missed by Dover with only minutes remaining and this would prove crucial in the end.
The second half saw a spirited response from Dover and in the opening few minutes they can consider themselves most unlucky when Ricky Mackintosh tapped forward and with only 4 metres from the try line he was held back by the last remaining defender and a certain try scoring opportunity was lost. Although the debate is always in contention the Chairman of the opposition remarked that the try should have been awarded and that the player should have been carded. The official on the other hand thought otherwise and awarded only a penalty. Dover were sat in the Lordswood half for the best part of 15 minutes and unfortunately their basic skills and poor decision making failed to penetrate the strong and robust defence. Ben Sedgwick was then carded for killing the ball on a counter attack from Lordswood and one would again question the consistency of the decisions. On the 63 third minute Dover scored. Mackintosh chipped over the top, Close scooped up the fortunate bounce and an inside pass to Jamie Townley saw him touch down under the posts. Beaumont converted. Further pressure was applied and a darting 50 metre run from Adam Wallace was halted by a good cover tackle and a chance was missed. Dover did take the lead following another chip forward by Mackintosh. Ben Murray in support won possession and the ball was moved to Mackintosh and then to Buster Collins who scored and the conversion followed. Dover’s pack at the set pieces was again strong all afternoon with Kirk Savage performing well at hooker and the ever reliable Gus Surendorff stealing a number of lineouts gaining valuable possession.
With only injury time remaining Dover should have closed the door on the game. A poor kick went astray and Lordswood hoofed the ball back into the Dover 22. A comedy of errors followed and the ball was dropped. The visitors were quick to pounce and the tap forward was touched down and the conversation taken to take the lead. The remaining minutes saw Lordswood in control and threatening the Dover line and as this game proved ‘It’s never over until the fat lady sings’.
Graham Tonks commented ‘Every game this season will be a hard contest. We have only ourselves to blame for not winning today against an extremely good side. Our ball handling and decision making was poor by our standards. This is a learning curve for the players and we must erase this defeat from our minds and concentrate on next week’s game’.
Team: Stanley, Savage, Moore, Robinson, Surendorff, Wallace, Byrne, Collins, Murray, Beaumont, Tonks, Townley, Mackintosh, Sedgwick, Close, Lucas, Kimble, Charge.

Report by: Richard Collins
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