Club XV 49-15 Dorking A XV
September 20th 2025
Venue: The Utilita, Eltham
In fine weather conditions and playing on the superb surface at our home ground, everything was set up nicely for a good afternoon of rugby in front of a decent crowd.
With three changes from last weekend due to call ups to the first team who were playing at Leicester, the Club XV kicked off playing away from the club-house and with a little following breeze. A series of mauls saw Club with ball in hand make the first of a many forays into the Dorking half. The visitors looked reasonably comfortable in defence in early encounters.
In Barton and Gilmour, Blackheath have two powerful and skillful centres and on 10 minutes it was Barton crashing over the try line that gave Blackheath the first score of the afternoon. It was easily converted by Dalrymple. The Club XV were now enjoying plentiful possession and looked slick in the backs with the forwards serving up quick ball for the half backs of Kyle McGhie and Matt Dalrymple enabling them to pull the strings. On 15 minutes it was Fin Gilmour in just his second game back after a lengthy injury lay-off, who ran a lovely line to score a converted try under the posts.
Dorking started to get a foothold in the game and their young backs looked dangerous at times though they rarely penetrated a well-disciplined Blackheath defence. On 25 minutes and following a line out maul the Dorking forwards were able to dot down 5 metres in from the touchline for an unconverted try making the score 14-5 to the home side.
Blackheath were smarting from this breach of their defence and, upping the intensity at the breakdown it was not long before Leo Jowett at full back cut a superb line off Gilmour to score a fine try which was well converted by Dalrymple. A further try just before the break was a beauty as lock-forward Tom Johnson tore through the Dorking defence having picked up loose ball and with a sidestep which any back would have been proud of, scored under the posts leaving Dalrymple with a routine conversion.
The scores at the break Club XV 28-5 Dorking and a try bonus point in the bag.
The second half started pretty much as the first had ended with Blackheath enjoying plenty of possession against a well marshalled defence. Although Dorking did make numerous incursions into the Blackheath half the visitors just lacked accuracy and were no match for a well drilled defence.
The Blackheath pack were superb throughout with both Nathaniel Ticehurst at open side flanker and Alex Ringshall at number 8, excellent both in defence and attack. The lineout worked well all afternoon and the engine room never ran out of steam with both Tom Johnson and Reyhan Taraq putting in an 80 minute shift. The front row of Teddy Gibbons, Sam Westmacott and Daniel Orubo never once went backwards and they are looking a really good unit so far this season.
The power of Tom Barton was just too much for the Dorking defenders especially ball in hand in broken play and he was on the scoreboard with his second try of the afternoon on 55 minutes. The try was converted with ease by Matt Dalrymple.
Further pressure on the Dorking 22 metre line resulted in another good try from Leo Jowett, his second of the day. This was very well converted by the trusty boot of Dalrymple for his sixth of the afternoon.
Some lax defence and a lack of concentration allowed Dorking in for two quick fire tries to make the score 42-15 with 12 minutes to go. It was some reward to them for sticking at it in a game where they were under the cosh for long periods.
Blackheath had now made a number of changes including the introduction of young tighthead prop, Pearson Hulks, remember the name.
The final score of the game went to the Blackheath hooker, Sam Westmacott, who had a fine game both in the scrum and with his accurate darts to the lineout. The last word was with Matt Dalrymple whose immaculate boot saw him convert 7 from 7 to make the final score 49-15 and a bonus point win for the Blackheath Club XV.
Two wins from two is a good start to the league campaign but much sterner tests lie ahead in the next month with games against the second teams of Ampthill, Barnes, Chinnor and Richmond.
It was gratifying to have people say to me how much they had enjoyed the rugby on Saturday. Second XV rugby is very important to this club for many reasons not least the opportunity it gives players to improve and be ready for first team rugby.
Club XV
Man of the Match: Alex Ringshall
Tries: Barton (2), Gilmour, Jowett (2), Johnson , Westmacott
Conversions: Dalrymple (7)
| 15 | JOWETT, Leo | |
| 14 | WATSON, Hugo | |
| 13 | BARTON, Tom | |
| 12 | GILMOUR, Findlay (8) | |
| 11 | DANIEL, Oscar (2) | |
| 10 | DALRYMPLE, Matt (15) | |
| 9 | MCGHIE, Kyle (2) | |
| 1 | GIBBONS, Teddy | |
| 2 | WESTMACOTT, Sam | |
| 3 | ORUBO, Daniel | |
| 4 | JOHNSON, Tom | |
| 5 | TARAQ, Reyhan + | |
| 6 | NEAL, Nate | |
| 7 | TICEHURST, Nathaniel + | |
| 8 | RINGSHALL, Alex + | |
| 16 | CHIKURUHNE, Manny | |
| 17 | HULKS, Pearson | |
| 18 | GOODWIN, Mike | |
| 19 | BUSH, James + (1) | |
| 20 | CAMINATI, Filippo | |
+ Pathway Player / (1st XV caps)
Author: Craig Molloy
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