Salisbury Colts entertained Dorchester on Sunday afternoon in the re-arranged Under 17s Cup Semi Final. Conditions were wet and muddy which had an affect on both Teams performance. From the kick off both sides tried to take charge of the game with Salisbury starting at a fast pace trying to drive Dorchester off the pitch but Dorchester defended well and kept coming back at Salisbury. Neither side could get the upper hand, set pieces were fairly even and the conditions didn’t allow fast open rugby. Salisbury looked the better side and when the game settled down they managed to keep up their attacks and, after several phases of play, the ball went out to the backs who moved the ball quickly wide allowing Tom Hopper to score in the corner, the conversion from Marcus Beer just slipped wide of the posts. This galvanized Dorchester who put Salisbury under pressure from the kick off and they in turn were rewarded with an unconverted try just on the stroke of half time. The Teams went in honours even at 5:5 for the half.

The second half continued much like the first although Dorchester’s frustration started to show and, after a warning from the Referee, they lost a forward to the sin bin with Beer taking three points from the penalty. Salisbury took advantage of the 14 man Dorchester team and after good play from the forwards taking the ball up the backs went wide again for Hopper to get his second, converted by Beer. After that the game settled into an even match with both sides attacking and defending in their turn. Salisbury were unlucky not have a third try when the last pass in another backs move didn’t quite make Hopper’s hand on the wing. With Dorchester back to 15 they threw everything they had left into attacks but Salisbury defended well and at the final whistle went in winner 15:5 after a game played well by both sides in what can best be described as testing conditions. Salisbury now face Wimborne in the Cup Final next Sunday art the neutral ground of North Dorset.