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Dings Move Up The Table Despite Narrow Defeat

Dings Move Up The Table Despite Narrow Defeat

Commercial Dings19 Jan 2019 - 22:51
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Two bonus-points on the road sees Crusaders climb a place to eleventh...

DINGS fell to a 31-24 defeat at the hands of London Irish Wild Geese at Hazelwood, but despite the loss, climbed one place in the National League Two South Table after picking up two crucial bonus-points.

The visitors would have been disappointed with their slow, ponderous start, and just like their last away fixture at Birmingham & Solihull Bees, found themselves seven-points behind inside the first three minutes.

Crusaders were all over their hosts for the majority of the game, but the Exiles tackled bravely and made the most of the fleeting chances that came their way, with fly-half Liam Prescott particularly impressive for the home side.

Dings laid siege on the home sides’ line in the final minutes of the match in an attempt to get a converted try that would have given them a share of the points. But it wasn’t to be on this occasion, and the Wild Geese held on the claim their fifth win of the season to keep their survival hopes alive.

The other two sides in the relegation places also picked up vital home victories. The Bees triumphed 18-0 against Worthing Raiders and Guernsey piped Barnes 22-21.

Irish No8 Scott Moore broke through a weak tackle on three minutes for a try converted by Prescott to open up a 7-0 lead. The home side doubled their advantage shortly after – again, the Dings defence was found wanting with lock Ryan Byfield crashing over for the hosts second converted try.

Dings, though, continued to attack ball-in-hand and their persistence finally paid off when they managed to work wing Josh Trinham over on 31 minutes for an unconverted try. Prescott booted a long range penalty to nudge the Wild Geese into a 17-5 lead, but a superb solo effort from Dings centre Marcus Brooker, converted by scrum-half Steve Plummer, made it 17-12 at the interval.

Crusaders took the lead for the first and only time in the match early in the second-half, with wing Harry Tovey gliding through the Exiles defence from the halfway line to dot down under the posts, giving Plummer the easiest of conversions to make it 19-17 to Dings.

The home side replied with two quick fire tries from wing George Owen and Moore's second – Prescott again kicking the extras to make it 31-19 to the hosts.

It was all Dings in the final quarter. Brooker barged over in the corner for his second try to narrow the gap to seven-points. But despite bossing territory and possession in the dying minutes, a couple of losing bonus-points was as good as it got for the visitors.

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