Steelers too slick for Mighty 3rds

This week saw Dagenham 3rds host league leaders Kings Cross Steelers 3rds in their Merit 6 West clash.

Due to a host of injuries, unavailability and the social effect of The Gig economy The Mighty 3rds would, this week, only have 12 players. The Steelers very kindly lent a couple of players to even up the sides.

With players making the effort to come straight from work and even a couple straight from the Airport the D’s had little time to even do up their laces before the game started.

After a well respected 2 minute silence for Armistice Day, the game kicked off in the drizzly rain.

Owing to the fact Dagenham had 12 forwards and no backs we knew it would have to be an afternoon of stick it up the jumper rugby and the plan worked well. After lots of punching up The D’s found themselves 5 meters out with barley 5 minutes on the clock. A quick tap penalty taken by Scrum Half Jon Lyme meant he could prance over the try line and draw fist blood.

The Steelers came back and although they could not compete up front they used their well drilled backs to good use and found their pacey winger to return a couple of scores.

Undeterred the D’s kept to their game plan and with the help of some monster scrummaging found themselves camped in the oppositions 22 for most of the game, unfortunately whenever we got within meters of the try line a knock on or dropped pass would gift the ball to the Steelers who ruthlessly added more scores with their pacey backs.

Half time and the D’s stuck at it. Keeping the ball in hand even from their own 22 punched their way up field. Great driving from Whellems, Meggs and Middleton amongst others. Lyme adding another score before Tia fended off a couple of defenders to add another.

For the last 20 minutes, again despite spending most of the afternoon in the opposing 22, The D’s just couldn’t get the last pass to stick and were punished whenever the opposition gained possession.

The last play saw the home side again make 80 yards with great driving from the 12 forwards before Centre Ian Robinson dived over a ruck Salmon style to add another score.

Great effort from everyone involved. Well done to debutant Craig Dowdall who had a good game being thrown in at the deep-end playing fly half!

Thanks again to The Steelers for loaning is some players

Squad:

Middleton, Thompson, Dunnage, Whellems, Newson, Meggs, Francis, Tia, Lyme, Dowdall, Sharman, Robinson

Tries:
Lyme x 2
Tia
Robinson

Conversions:
Lyme x 2