Westcliff start season with win against Dorking

Westcliff triumphed 27-20 after producing a spirited display.

And their director of rugby Rick Compton was delighted to kick-off the campaign in such fine style.

“It’s always good to win your first game and winning at home is important too so we can’t be anything but delighted,” said Compton.

“We shouldn’t allow that satisfaction to blind us to the shortcomings in our performance, though.

“We had good moments but we didn’t play as well as we can or as we will need to when the games come thick and fast in the weeks ahead.

“We showed some rustiness and that’s perhaps understandable but, fortunately, that’s something we can correct.

“Importantly, we found a way to win the game and that’s a credit to the lads’ desire and perseverance.”

Westcliff opened the scoring with a penalty from Jack Jones before Dorking replied with an unconverted try.

Another Jones penalty put Westcliff 6-5 in front before the visitors hit back with their second try of the game to regain the lead.

However, Westcliff immediately fought back with a try from James Scogings putting them 13-12 in front at half-time.

After the break, the visitors enjoyed their best period of the game and soon bagged another try to lead 17-13.

But Westcliff stood firm and got back on top following the introduction of Ben McKeith and George Mahoney from the bench.

McKeith soon glided through to restore Westcliff’s lead before Dorking replied with a successful penalty to level the score at 20-20.

But Westcliff fought hard to seize the initiative and, following a driving line-out and further phases of short range drives, Mahoney punched his way through the Dorking defence to score the decisive try in an evenly-contested opening day encounter.

Westcliff: S Brown, Merrick, Bannister, Stol, O Jones, J Jones, H Morrant, C Brown, B Morrant, Binneman, Dartnell, Scogings, Marsh, Hatton, Vandermolen

Replacements: Macintyre, Maloney & McKeith