O’Connor leads the way
Division 2 Semi-Finals
Dorset & W…… 47 E Midlands…… 24
DORSET and Wilts booked their place in the Division Two final with a hard-fought win against a valiant East Midlands side.
Travel woes played havoc with the visitors' plans, Keith Bateman's side arriving just 15 minutes before the scheduled start time – Dorset and Wilts agreeing for kick-off to be put back by an hour.
And when the game did get going, it was as tense and engrossing as expected. The superb Gus O'Connor got the hosts up and running, before East Midlands No.8, Tom Lewis, was barged over from a driving maul to level up proceedings.
But Devizes man O'Connor was in the mood, and he raced over two minutes later for his second. Josh McCafferty added a third not long after to open up a semblance of daylight on the scoreboard, though East Midlands came back in brilliant fashion.
Tom Halfhide slotted a penalty ahead of a slick backs move which saw Logan McGabe slide over in the corner; the teams turned around at the break with just four points separating them.
When Lewis went over in the corner after the break – capping off a fine team move – it seemed the momentum had well and truly changed hands, but what ultimately swung it for the men in green and white was the strength in depth of their bench.
With 20 minutes to go, they dumped the clutch and went full throttle.
Alafoti Fa'osiliva, Ed Crossley, Michael Pope and Henry Toomer all crossed the white line as Bateman's charges notably tired, the combination of a seven-hour journey and arid conditions coming through to roost.
Bateman, bowing out as East Midlands DoR, was only full of praise for his group but it is Dorset and Wilts who head through to the showpiece.
