Esher on top to seal title triumph
SUPER Esher ran out comfortable winners in this pulsating end-to-end topof-the-table clash to secure the National 2 East title and promotion back to National League 1.
Outscoring the visitors by seven tries to four with a decisive three tries to nil in the final quarter, they emphasised why they have been the team to beat this season.
Dorking were first on the scoreboard as Will Sanders chased through and latched on to a chipthrough to touch down out right on the six minute mark, converted by Henry Anscombe.
As was to become a feature in this hotlycontested match, Esher hit back quickly as lock Hugh Sloan found himself on the end of a backs move and over in the left hand corner, with captain Sam Morley adding the extras to level the scores.
With both sides attacking and defending ferociously, it took Dorking’s try machine Toby McRae a further 11 minutes to work out how to unlock the Esher defence to retake
the lead, only for Esher’s Pierre Thomson to reply almost instantly and even things up for a second time.
Shortly before the break, Esher took the
lead for the first time as Harry Faulkner came in to the back line, feeding off the back of an Esher scrum.
And with Morley’s boot on target, they took a 21-14 lead into the changing room at half-time.
Dorking started the second half in the ascendancy.
But despite pressuring Esher’s line continuously, the home side’s defence held resolute.
And it was ten minutes before Adam Musa found a way over the line to even things up again.
Then just one further minute for Esher to reply as retaining the ball at the kick-off, Andy Hamilton found a way through to score.
McRae’s second, as Dorking’s backs spun the ball wide, evened the scores once more.
But as the match entered the final quarter and Dorking’s injury toll mounted, Esher took
control with Myles Rawston-Rudd, Sam Bullock and Finlay McBrearty all crossing the whitewash on the back of some excellent approach play.
And with Morley adding a penalty to the two conversions the score moved to 50-28, securing both the match and the league title - which was richly deserved.
And Esher’s coach Chris Wilkins couldn’t have been happier.
“This was a fantastic game of rugby and Dorking made us work very hard,” he commented.
“It was not until the final quarter that I felt we gained the upper hand in what was an endto-end contest. But the boys have thoroughly deserved the victory and to take the title, because of all their hard work.”
REFEREE: Michael Lamb
ATTENDANCE: 1,415 Star man
Sam Morley - Esher