Table-toppers Pulborough are flying in seventh heaven

Home captain Simon Burfiend reflected on another ‘hard-fought’ 41-21 victory as the Freelands side sealed their seventh win for a six-point lead over Thanet Wanderers.

A strong crowd at Freelands on vice presidents day were not disappointed as tries from Barney Reede, Harry Scrase, Richard Nicholls, Henry Lee, Frazer Oliphant-Hope, who was also in superb kicking form, and Brad Game completed the victory.

Old Dunstonians came into the clash with a rather false second-from-bottom place in the - in fact, if they had not been deducted points from last season would have been sitting fourth in the table.

Burfiend said: “Despite the scoreline, it was another hard-fought win for us this weekend. We made it hard for ourselves by gifting them two tries early on.

“Saying that, the lads really felt as though they were in a tough match this, I know I certainly felt it afterwards.

“I would say that ODs were definitely one of our stronger opposition this season. But some of our tries in response were top class.

“The patience shown and the trust in our ability and fitness in the latter stages of the game really showed this weekend.”

Dunstonians took the lead as they managed to rush a ‘Borough clearance kick and pounce on the ball for an early converted try.

Strong running resulted in the hosts edging closer and closer to the opposition’s line and some fine hands down the blindside from both forwards and backs, resulted in winger Reede scoring in the corner.

Scrase then made his own gap in the midfield on the Pulborough line, furthered by Owain Mcloughlin. A fine offload back to Scrase saw him sprint in under the posts and Oliphant-Hope converted for a 12-7 lead.

Another Pulborough mistake saw the visitors score their second converted try, before Nicholls picked up from the base of a ruck and dived over with Oliphant-Hope again converting.

Old Dunstonians managed to bag one more try before the half with a well worked score to make it 21-19.

But Lee was to have the last say of the half as he linked well with Ewan Callaway to started and finish his own score. A third Oliphant-Hope conversion saw Pulborough lead 26-21 at half-time.

In the second half, the hosts exploit their advantage of the slight slope and fitness against a tiring opposition.

Oliphant-Hope scored a fantastic solo try after multiple phases, beating the full-back with a forward roll and converting, before adding a penalty to make it 36-21.

Game wrapped up the scoring as he swerved the full-back for the final score, before some excellent late defence saw Dunstonians denied a four-try bonus point.

Pulborough: Baxter, G.Oliphant-Hope, Pascall, Nicholls, Reed, Baldwin, Mcloughlin, Scrase, Aviss, G.Lee, Game, Burfiend, F.Oliphant-Hope, Callaway, H.Lee. Unused: D.Bullock, H.Bullock, Clarke.

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