DORCHESTER RFC 80
BOURNEMOUTH RFC III 12
Dorchester stormed to an emphatic victory on Saturday, overpowering an understrength Bournemouth side in their Counties 2 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts South encounter. Despite a shaky opening ten minutes, the home team quickly regrouped and went on to dominate every area of the match.
Bournemouth struck first, capitalising on a loose ball that bobbled in Dorchester’s in-goal area after catching the hosts off guard with a fast start. But Dorchester responded almost immediately. Scrum-half Jack Hayward finished neatly in the right corner to level the scores, and moments later captain Brad Mullins powered through several weak tackles to give his side the lead. Cohen Emery converted, setting the tone for what would become a relentless Dorchester display.
Although the hosts were in complete control, a stray pass was intercepted by a Bournemouth winger, who sprinted the length of the field to score under the posts. The converted try would ultimately be the visitors’ final points of the afternoon.
Dorchester then unleashed a wave of attacking rugby. Emery, Steve Tucker, Jamie Morgan, and Keiran Baker-Fry all crossed the whitewash before halftime, with Emery adding four further conversions to give Dorchester a commanding 40–12 lead at the break.
The second half offered little respite for Bournemouth. Jack Mansfield added another try before Hayward completed a superb hat-trick, supported by three more successful conversions from Emery as Dorchester surged past 60 points. With no replacements available, Bournemouth’s fatigue became increasingly evident, and Dorchester took full advantage. Further tries from prop Makensie Parker, fly-half Callum King, and No. 8 Morgan pushed the tally to 12 tries overall, with two more conversions bringing Emery’s personal haul to ten.
With the match turning one-sided and Bournemouth visibly struggling, the referee brought the game to an early end after 63 minutes—an agreed decision between both sides. Despite the scoreline, Bournemouth’s young team earned credit for their determination, never shirking a tackle and chasing every loose ball.
The result consolidates Dorchester’s position in third place in the Counties 2 league table. Their next fixture, away to Lytchett Minster—who have slipped to second—promises to be a pivotal clash in the first half of the season.
Elsewhere, Dorchester’s A XV claimed a 29–14 win at Surcouf Park against Lytchett Minster’s second XV. Captain Laurance Burch praised his team’s outstanding defensive work, highlighting the physicality and breakdown pressure that secured the victory. The result lifts the A XV to fourth place in the Counties 3 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts South division, with an away trip to Poole up next.
On Sunday, Dorchester’s Colts also travelled to Bournemouth. Despite falling 34–12, they produced two excellent tries and showed relentless attacking spirit—another strong display of effort and heart from the County Town’s developing talent.
