A very dark and wet day as the photos show.
Dover 24 V Gosport & Fareham 0
After last weeks disappointment Dover were forced to make several changes. All those that stepped up shone. There was a welcome return for Ben Crawford after a long injury lay off and Ryan Davison returned at No.8. The match was played in awful conditions; Gosport and Fareham won the toss and elected to kick which meant for the first half Dover would play up the slope into the elements for the first half.
Ben Crawford
Despite the conditions Dover tried to play rugby from the start, Ryan Davidson receiving the ball and powering forward. The platform set Richard Eldridge at fly- half kicked for territory with Logan Chandler winning the ball, Dover set again. The conditions meant quick ball was hard to come by and the forwards kept it tight. Gosport and Fareham reacted well their forwards work saw Dover's momentum slow. Ben Crawford fed Eldridge to see if the backs could gain some yardage, his attempted chip was charged down and Dover was back on halfway. They attacked blind with Chandler forced into touch. Gosport and Fareham enjoyed a couple of minutes of possession but Lee Ambrose and Jon Foster turned over the ball in the tackle and Dover made in roads to the GF 22. Dover was forcing the play and was unlucky not to score, a knock on 5 metres out earning GF a scrum. Dover dominated the scrum and stole back possession but was bundled into touch 2 metres out. Gosport and Fareham won their lineout and kicked back to halfway. Dover set again but were penalised at a ruck, GF took a quick tap to make 20 metres Lee Ambrose tackle preventing further progress. GF did secure the ball at the ruck but Dover's John Walker Smith strength won the ball back and Dover could set again just outside their 22. GF were then caught offside at the ruck and Eldridge's boot took play back to halfway for a Dover lineout. A solid Dover lineout skipper Dale Tonks taking the ball Dover set for a rolling maul, GF defended it well and Dover reverted to the pick and go the forwards pushing on 20 then 30 metres. GF were again offside another Dover pen this time kicked to within 10 metres. The lineout was again good; skipper Tonks spotted the gap with ball in hand charged for and crossed the line, under the melee of bodies the referee adjudged it was held up, 5 metre scrum. Dover attacked from the scrum on the blindside but again the pass wasn't to hand another chance spurned but Dover were still within 5 metres. GF did win the scrum Foster did his best to win the ball with a trademark tackle but the visitors managed to kick the ball clear to touch 40 metres down field. Dover again controls possession a succession of pick and go's see Dover back in the GF 22. The ball is out to the backs and Walker-Smith looks set to collect and score but the sticky ground and the bounce of the ball evades him. Dover was enjoying all the possession and two further opportunities evaded them as Dover tried to play a more expansive game. Gosport and Fareham missed there only scoring chance of the half a penalty from 30 metres. The half drew to a close at 0-0 the conditions the victor. Dover made a change Greg Hewer replacing Walker Smith who had earned an extra rest.
Dale Tonks, Chris Lucas, and Ed Blowers
As the second half got underway the conditions worsened, Dover attacked from the off. GF couldn't clear the ball and a kick over the top from Davison saw the ball roll dead. GF tried to clear with the 22 dropout and although it made halfway Dover ran it straight back through Annakie and Townley. Dover pressed but the GF defence was stubborn and with ball like a bar of soap it was spilt in contact. Ten minutes elapsed with still no score Dover made another change Lewis Hopgood injured replaced by Kurt Jaggar. There was then a ten minute delay with the GF centre sustaining a neck injury in the tackle. The game restarted and Dover finally had success, GF tried to run out of defence, Sam McNamara turned over possession and ran unchallenged 30 metres to score in the corner, the conversion missed Dover led 5-0. Dover momentarily switched off from the restart with GF seizing possession, they won a penalty which was kicked to touch but knocked on at the lineout. Dover brought a refreshed Walker-Smith back into the fold for Hewer. Dover won the scrum and again edged towards GF territory. The forwards controlled possession the backs added a bit of impetus through Chandler and Annakie. This was more like it. Dover was now camped 5 metres out and unlike recent weeks showed great composure until the opening arrived. Eventually it did John Walker-Smith using his strength to touch down, the conversion again missed Dover had a little daylight at 10-0. All credit to GF who enjoyed the next 5 minutes of play keeping possession and making good ground but Dover's defence was solid Foster was his usual nuisance making it hard for GF to strike. It was he who turned over possession and in the blink of an eye Dover was back in the 22 through Townley and Annakie. Dover lost skipper Dale Tonks through injury Kirk Savage replacing him as Dover missed another scoring opportunity. Dover still weren't safe and the game had become scrappy with players struggling to recognise team-mates. The ball bobbled around halfway, Nathan Annakie attacked it a fly hack into space followed by another, he was tackled without the ball but Foster and Davidson were there in support with Davison claiming his first try of the season under the posts. Eldridge added the conversion 17-0. Coach Graham Tonks urged his players for one last try to secure a bonus point there was two minutes to go. Dover heard the call and attacked wide, Eldridge chipped over the top for Annakie to run on to. He secured the ball and as the tackle came in he fed the ever in support Foster to score, Eldridge converted 24-0 bonus point win a great reward on an awful day. Foster was gain immense in the back row, skipper Dale led by example, this week's Man of the Match award was selected by match sponsors Burgess Hodgson and it was Nathan Annakie the beneficiary an afternoon when he raised his game, he had a hand in the two tries that sealed victory and never missed a tackle in defence.
Dover has a rest from league action next week their next fixture away to Beckenham on the 8th December.
Team:
LUCAS, AMBROSE, WALKER-SMITH, D TONKS (Capt.), SLUMAN, BLOWERS, FOSTER, DAVISON, CRAWFORD, ELDRIDGE, CHANDLER, TOWNLEY, ANNAKIE, McNAMARA, HOPGOOD, HEWER, SAVAGE, JAGGAR.
Scorers::
Tries: McNamara, Walker-Smith, Davison and Foster ( 1 each)
Conversions: Eldridge x 2