WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 32

OAKMEADIANS 5

WEYMOUTH & Portland stormed to the top of the Tribute Dorset & Wilts One South table with a 32-5 success over Oakmeadians.

Playing the first league game at their Monmouth Avenue home for 18 months, the Seahorses handled the atrocious conditions well to overcome a strong Oaks unit.

Amid heavy prolonged rain, Weymouth & Portland opened up a 13-0 lead when Ryan Lewendon kicked two penalties and a conversion after Craig Barter crossed to score.

After the break, fly-half Rory Legg polished off a glorious move to score in the corner, from which the conversion attempt was narrowly missed by Lewendon.

The Seahorses stretched further ahead when the unstoppable force of prop Tim Comben barged his way past four tackles to score a third try, Lewendon kicking the extra points.

And the bonus-point try came when Legg grabbed his second score of the match, Lewendon converting with a matter of seconds remaining.

READ MORE: Seahorses rack up 57 points in first game of the season

With the officials allowing for one final move, Oakmeadians ruined the Seahorses’ blank copybook with a consolation try in the corner for 32-5.

Speaking to Echosport, coach Rich Bament said: “They kept going for the full 80 (minutes) and that showed when they scored their try with the last play of the game.

“It definitely wasn’t a walk in the park. We had to work for all our points but we just ground them down at the end.

“After 25 minutes we ended up with uncontested scrums. They lost their prop and replacement both to head assessments.

“That nullified that threat from us but we ground them down with more of a rugby league style set-play and off you go.

“The guys did really well, they stuck at it and did the best they could do in the conditions.”

Bament’s men now face an early top-of-the-table clash at Puddletown on Saturday, their opponents having also collected two bonus-point wins.

He said: “We’re only two games in and I dare say there are tougher challenges ahead but the guys are happy and know what they’re doing.

“They’re taking a lot more responsibility themselves, knowing their roles. I can just stand back and add pointers.

“Hopefully the weather will be nicer so we can play our expansive game. Against Puddletown it will be tough with the guys they have up there.

“They like mauling, scrummaging and rucking. If we can run them around it should make for good entertainment – but I’m always confident.”

Matt Savage returns after running the London Marathon in under 3hrs 30 minutes, but Will Quick and Legg are out.

Seahorses (from): Comben, B Hayne, Davis, Eckersley, Oaksford, Norton, D Hayne, A Bowditch, Barter, Lewendon, Purcell, Savage, Beynon, Cummimgs, Sankey, 3x TBC.