BRIDPORT 12 EAST DORSET 15

THIS eagerly-anticipated Dorset & Wilts Shield semi-final went the way of the visitors after they survived a late comeback from the Blues.

Played out in front of a big crowd, including Bridport’s sponsors Mystic Signs, the home side put some early pressure on East Dorset.

The away side were put on the back foot by the intensity of the Blues’ attacking play and conceded a penalty within two minutes.

Rory Greening pulled his kick wide, however, Bridport did not let up and won a scrum against the head from which Mike Pibworth burst over to score. Greening missed a tricky conversion from out wide.

Such was Bridport’s early dominance they were perhaps guilty of neglecting their defensive duties and a clever kick from turnover ball put an East Dorset player into acres of space for an easy try. The conversion was missed.

As is often the way, East Dorset were then transformed and although Bridport’s pack were solid in the set-pieces, the visitors were winning more than their share at the breakdown.

This led to some fairly desperate Bridport defence at times and ultimately a deliberate knock-on in front of the posts.

The resulting penalty kick was a formality and East Dorset led 8-5 – after a great start Bridport were lucky to be only three points down at half-time.

The second half carried on in the same vein with Bridport defending more than they would have liked.

A superb try-saving tackle from captain Dave Cutting only delayed the inevitable as the East Dorset fly-half jinked over for a try which was converted into a stiff breeze.

Evergreen Jason Kidd then prompted the biggest cheer of the afternoon when he wove between mesmerised defenders to score under the posts.

Greening converted and at 15-12 a tense finish ensued.

Bridport strove manfully to overturn the three-point deficit but nothing quite went right and so it ended rather disappointingly with a narrow defeat.

Man of the match: Mike Pibworth