Dunstablians edged out by Stamford in a high-scoring defeat

Dunstablians produced a spirited display as they were eventually beaten 40-35 in an exciting Counties One Midlands East (South) home match against fourth placed Stamford on Saturday.

With an ever-increasing injury list and a couple of late drop-outs, Dees fielded a team that had an almost makeshift feel to it but finished with two bonus points and a sense that they could well have walked away with the win.

The initial signs were not promising for the hosts as Stamford started at a breakneck speed, punching holes with their strong-running forwards before spinning the ball wide.

Although Dees scrambled well in defence, too many missed first-up tackles always had the visitors on the front foot and they crossed the whitewash for their first try after seven minutes, adding a converted second moments later to lead 12-0.

Overcoming the shell-shock of the pacey opening, Dees ground their way back into the game, imposing their dominance in the scrum, the tight five of Chandler, Tearle-Reed, George, Keppe and Brinkley impressive throughout.

With a steady stream of quality ball, and with Stamford forced on to the back foot, the hosts were able to launch some attacks of their own, the unfamiliar centre-pairing of second team captain Tarkan Kranda and recently-returned Matt Lambert, combining well to spearhead the recovery.

The pressure soon equated to points, scrum-half Michael Morris darting over and Zach Bourne adding the extras to close the gap to five points.

Stamford hit back quickly, burrowing over from close range, and with the conversion added it seemed as though the Dees resurgence was to be snuffed out almost before it had started.

Despite the positional changes, Keiron Cove and James Yesinkas had been conscripted into the back row, Dees dug deep to hang in the game and the momentum shifted when full-back Bourne touched down, converting his own try.

Again, Stamford quickly counter-punched with another converted try, but with the half drawing to a close, Dees were awarded a five-yard scrum, powering Stamford back for Scott Jenkinson to touch down, Bourne adding the extras as Dunstablians swapped ends five points adrift.

It was the visitors who were first out of the blocks in the second half, crashing over, but Morris soon crossed for his second score, Bourne’s boot closing the gap once more.

Stamford added a further converted try with 12 minutes to go, only for Dees to summon up one last titanic effort and forced their way into their opponents half.

A series of scrums saw Dees edge closer to the try-line and finally fly-half Kevin Boland unleashed his back line resulting in Jarrad Jerome dotting down, adding a losing bonus point to the already secured four-try bonus.

Bourne capped a faultless kicking display by slotting the tricky conversion as Dees head to Vipers this weekend.