Due to player unavailability this match was moved to a Wednesday evening. And for intensity and commitment the game didn’t suffer for it.

Warriors had a chance, as with their previous match, to score early on through a penalty. Unfortunately Mike Prestedge missed the opportunity. This opened the game out into an even tussle with Warriors being slightly more dominant. At the halfway mark of the first period Giants broke down the right. Despite one of the players running into touch before offloading the ball, the try was scored and extras added. Warriors were not to be outdone and, following a clever change of direction and quick passing Jon Humphrey scored. Prestedge added the extras. The next points came from a fantastic move by Warriors. The ball was taken from their own fifteen and moved forward at pace. Through the tackles the ball got to Prestedge who scooted trough to touch down. He added the extras himself. The force was with Warriors now. Another slick move saw, at the fifth tackle, the ball again with Humphrey. He saw a gap, took it and scored. The extras were missed. Warriors kept up the pressure and managed to secure a long distance penalty. Unfortunately Humphrey couldn’t add to his earlier tries.  Giants were not done though. Just before the end of the half they broke down the left wing with an excess of numbers. There was a pile of players and the referee adjudged that a try had been scored. The extras were missed.

Half-time        South Somerset Warriors  16      South Dorset Giants  12

The second-half was a half of attrition with defences on top and handling errors to the fore. Neither side looked like making any progress in this half. And Warriors were perhaps over eager to secure their second win of their first season. Whilst their tackling was of the highest order, Warriors were sometimes leaving themselves too much work to do with gaps appearing in the defensive line. One of these gaps was exposed with a breakaway try from halfway. The extras were added. The scores were level and the game entered injury time. Warriors defence held strong, on their own line for over three minutes of the five minutes added time. But then, in the very last minute, Giants moved a ball back to their fly-half who slotted home a drop goal. The match was over, and the visitors breathed an audible sigh of relief after the battle they had been through.

Full time        South Somerset Warriors  16      South Dorset Giants  17