Dee v Civil Service
Score: 22-3
Match Reporter - Chris Scott

A wet Thursday nights training was the beginning of Paul Blewits high blood pressure worries, pouring rain guaranteed a soggy pitch for Saturdays. Despite the efforts of Pabs, Connor and Stockton the continued downpour throughout Friday resulted in an oversaturated 1XV pitch.
With the 2XV game previously cancelled due to a little water the 2XV training pitch was available to play on. With 30minutes before kick-off this is where the referee decided the game was to take place.

An area the DEE have shown improvement on in the past number have weeks showed its problems again when receiving the commencing kick-off. An unexpected grubber style kick allowed Civil service to begin their rare trip into Donaghadees 22. This resulted in a penalty kick, 3-0 to civil service.In a rare sight this season Donaghadee where trailing from the start, well, for all of three minutes when a strong drive from the lineout resulted in Dan Lindsey putting the ball down. 5-3 to the Dee.

A more generic kickoff from Civil service resulted in clean ball this time for Donaghadee. Playing through the phases using the wide ball (despite the conditions) with strong drives on the left wing from Dicky Bailey and Owen Bailie. This freed up the ball to run right with the ball falling into captain Matthew Stockton’s hands. With powerful running and dancing feet Stockton scored, barely touched, under the posts with the conversion coming from Mark Cooper. Score 12-3 Dee.

Once again kick off was gathered, meters where made and Civil service men were falling like flies with piercing runs from Connor Mckee, Elliot Vollands and Matthew Johnston. This pushed the defence back to set up a scrum to Donaghadee in the opposition 22. Somehow, from here, David Kirkpatrick decided to follow in his centre partnerships decision to dance a little to score once again, practically untouched. Score 17-3 Dee

With the bonus point looming, the conditions took a turn for the worse with further rain pouring down over the pitch ensuring a fun day for the forwards with several consecutive scrums. This is where the Dee front row showed their strength against a much heavier front row. Elliot Vollands never took a step back and Ryan Campbell gave his opposite man a nightmare of a game. This dominance fed out to the backs with a number of phases thrown together from Dee 9 and 10 Andy Monson and Mark Cooper. A slick backline move with Andrew Mcrugan linking up with Dicky Bailey to allow the bonus point in the corner.
The ref decided It was halftime following the conversion attempt to keep the score 22-3 Dee.

Some may have noticed from the beginning of this report the half time score was the final score.
With the terrible conditions both underfoot and coming down a scrappy game ensued with the forwards enjoying the constant hugs and the referee awarding some more. A strong opening twenty minutes of the second half allowed Donaghadee to sit exactly where they needed to be, in the opposition 22, with a series of kicks out the Dee back three countered by returning the ball just to where it came from.
The following 20 minutes the Dee received their biggest test of the game. With a heavy opposition pack they pushed in the scrum and didn’t appear to stop. Reset after reset gave them key positional opportunities however, a resilient Dee defence allowed no tries to be leaked once again this season.

Once again congratulations must go out to the Dee 1VX who showed real character playing in the conditions with strong leadership in Monson, Cooper, Stockton and Mckee and hard as usual running and defensive work from Hamilton, Chesney and O’Bryne.
Next week the 1stXV play in the Gordon West cup against preseason opposition Belfast High School former pupils. Great support would be appreciated on this shorter of away journeys for the team with a strong performance needed against a formidable opposition.

MOTM: Connor O'Byrne

One final note will be to thank the support that attended Saturdays game, sodden underfoot, the support of the Dee has been a real driving force for the players.