Unhappy memories for CS Rugby 1863 of the "Big Field", Dorking's most ]scenic Brockham HQ , were laid to rest last Saturday. Only last March - in their first ever league meeting there - the Red and Whites had made a total ragout out of the Stags. In a game that bore little resemblance to rugby as we know it, Dorking had that day triumphed by 12 tries to 6 with the improbable score line of 81 to 36 - and a try therefore scored every four and and a half minutes. Last Saturday's entertainment at this beautiful National Trust site was of a very different, more robust order and marked by the old fahioned virtues of team work, strong running and cussed defence !

One try and two penalties ( 11 points) outscored a goal - that is a converted try to those of you who are too young to remember the old labels - and one penalty ( 10 points) : three scoring actions, if you like, outscored two, and men could be driven to drink by the tension and closeness of it. Both sides missed chances : in CS's case very promising try scoring opportunities; in Dorking's case : kickable penalty opportunities and an overlap butchered.

But , just as no one could dispute that the result could very well have gone either way , so it would have been very difficult to suggest that CS did not ultimately deserve their win as, indeed, the Dorking cogniscenti, also the club's website, very generously, were quick to acknowledge. Even though it had been a set-back to their promotion hopes, and a significant disappointment therefore, undoubtedly, objectivity was not lost.

It had been a fiercely contested and a far from pretty spectacle, but compelling, as only such a rugby game can be.

CS seemed to be shading the early exchanges and to be secure on their own ball : even if one past devil - indiscipline - was still occasionally manifest. It was no real surprise when CS went ahead after fifteen minutes with a try epitomising their teamwork: an accurate throw, line-out take and drive, a roll-off by hooker, Darryl Gore, a fend and off-load by him, and James Gillett was on hand to score.

But Dorking - rather it has to be said against the tide - were quick to respond with a try of their own by Matt Noble, converted also by him from wide out. Their slightly undeserved lead was short-lived, however, as Scott Hadden kicked a penalty to nudge CS ahead again at 8-7 after 25 minutes.

Dorking then enjoyed a period with some sustained possession. Although not desperately pressurised, CS were attracting the referee's attention and the penalty count was mounting . Daniel Brown was the first to see yellow after 30 for an offence connected with an attempted charge down : in the referee's eyes the incident must have involved playing the man rather than the ball. Two minutes later Daniel was joined in the bin by Darryl Gore for a high tackle and it was clear that the bar for such disciplinary issues had been set fairly low.

It was very welcome therefore when CS were not left too long to play with two men down A home player was next to be asked to take the same rest period for what the referee deemed to be a cynical offence. Now there were three players in the bin playing snap and, importantly, the Stags were weathering the storm. 7-8 was the half time score.

The second half started rather like the first with CS solid up front and showing some deft touches with centres Tom Mitchell and Tim Wells ever probing, and sometimes finding openings, only for CS to be thwarted either by Dorking's splendid cover defence , the bounce of the ball or on two occasions at least some imprecision at the final hurdle. But, that said, Dorking had their moments too and also came close . The sides were locked together, almost literally at one point, and the image would have to be one of rutting stags! This rite of nature had seen the departure of two more playes to the card school : Roux of Dorking and CS's James Glasson - although what exactly had sparked this major conflagration was unclear.

After 70 minutes CS edged further ahead with a further Scott Hadden penalty and - as the majority of the game was now being played in the Dorking half - CS thoughts started to turn to how sweet victory might taste. And so it indeed came to pass, albeit predictably not without furter tremors. First Dorking missed a long range penalty shot from not far off the half way line, then Matt Noble landed a rather easier one on one of their increasingly rare forays deep into CS territory to bring it to 10-11and then there was a serious final scare with Dorking making a fairly spectacular hash of things after a promising overlap and with the line apparently begging.

And so CS held out - and for large parts of the game had had the definite edge - but what a tussle it had been.

CS scorers:

Try : Gillett
Penalties : Hadden (2)

Dorking web report
Dorking suffered a rare reverse at the Big Field on Saturday against a combative and very sharp Civil Service side. Clearly motivated, the visitors from Chiswick were worth their victory by a single point but skipper Armand Roux and his men were left rueing the hatload of points that they missed out on with missed try scoring opportunities and errant kicks.

After last week’s welcome break, the Red and Whites were keen to get back into the fray. With Will Crow back from university and Qin Wiseman and Ian White back from their respective half term teaching excursions, the team looked strong. Unfortunately Simon Love had to withdraw in the morning of the game when his son fell ill (we all wish young Taylor a speedy recovery) and Ed Marsh was pulled up from the A’s to start in his place. Jake Presley retained the Full Back berth while Tom Bristow played his second game of the week after his run out on Monday night for Harlequins A’s against Gloucester A’s at the Stoop.

The Big Field was buzzing with four games being played around and about the place. Unfortunately, The Derelicts opposition had cried off to prevent a full house but Everywhere you looked their were men in various states of fitness and disrepair going through their various warm up routines but as the clock ticked over to 2.30, the main even kicked off. Dorking started brightly but made a couple of simple mistakes preventing an opening nerve-settling score. However, Civil Service were keen to show that they were not going to play the whipping boys all afternoon and soon showed off some of the best back line handling and running from depth seen at Dorking for some time. Only desperate tackling in the centres stifled their initial forays but with field position secured, Service set up an unstoppable rolling maul. Blind Side Cameron Reed crashed over to quieten the home support. Flyhalf George Woodford couldn’t add the extras so the scoreboard ticked over to 5-0.

For the next ten minutes the game meandered hither and thither. Both sides were feeling out their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Service had a couple of opportunities which may have come to more but for a stray pass here and a nudge forward there and similarly, Dorking had some threatening moments before Matt Noble burst into life and seemed for all the world to be cruising under the posts have shrugged off a couple of tacklers. However, in the act of sliding over, the last despairing defender just managed to dislodge the ball from his arms and a five meter scrum was called. Redemption was not long in coming though as Noble again got on the end of a slick move to dive into Coffee Corner. With his tricky conversion bisecting the posts, Noble had put Dorking in front.

The situation seemed to be looking grim for the visitors when try scorer Read was yellow-carded for an armless tackle on Noble. However, the numbers were soon levelled when Harry Watts also saw yellow for not retreating quickly enough. Shortly afterwards, Woodford broke his duck to put the visitors back in front on the stroke of half time.

Quite what was said at half time I don’t know but both teams started the second half with a substantial bout of hand bags. As matters cooled down, Roux and an unidentified Civil Service player were dispatched to the bin.

The game rather degenerated after that with opportinities going begging from both sides and defense being the winner. Dor king continued to weave good patterns but couldn’t quite put enough phases together while the visitors made some lightning thrusts from depth but all came to naught. After 70 minutes, the score was still 8-7 in favour of the visitors. Crucially, a penalty was awarded to Service which was duly slotted to stretch their lead to 11-7.

Dorking now piled on the pressure and a penalty was awarded just inside the visitors half. Unfortunately, he couldn’t convert but a couple of minutes later, another chance was offered and this time he converted to draw Dorking within one point. Then, it seemed that the damn broke as first Matt Noble broached the line and the ball made it’s way to Mike Terelak. Almost incredibly, the league’s top try-scorer couldn’t hang on to the pass which would have required another stride to flop over for the game winning try. And the chance – and the game was gone.

Civil Service celebrated as the final whistle blew while Dorking were left deflated. With three games now lost this season, their promotion hopes rely on the largess of others. One can rest assured however that Richie Andrews and his men will leave no stone unturned in their quest. Next up, they travel to Bishop’s Stortford hoping to get back into the groove. With Ed Gardner, Love and Alrich Muller all likely to be available, Andrews faces some selectorial dilemmas already made tricky by the arrrival of new players Joe Reid and Steve Mumford. Exciting times and challenging times.

Ben Knight, Nick Marlow, Tom Bristow, Qin Wiseman, Matt Higgins, Ian White, Harry Watts, Armand Roux (Capt) Will Crow, Matt Nable, Ryan Lucas, Ryan Jeffrey, Ed Marsh, Mike Terelak, Jake Presley. Subs: John Greenwell, Will Kruis, Andy Gardner