Sport

Sport Six of the best: Debutants star in North’s convincing win

North Dorset Women 27 Poole Women 10

In the second game of the season, North Dorset Women had six debutants, Anna Marsh, Leona Hughes, Bryonie Johnson, Darryl Norris, Letby Burden, Miranda Paxton, and Claire Murray. The game started with Poole charging all over ND who held out with some solid defending for 15 minutes. North responded with the forwards carrying hard. Some lovely interchanging play between Katie Porter and Mel Mitchell led a counter-attack 50 metres up the park for Louisa Neale, aka BullDozer, to run straight through the Poole defence and over the line for a try, which was not converted. After the first quarter, the Continued on P73

Under 14s show promise with impressive defeat of Sharks

North Dorset under 14s played an outstanding match away against the Purbeck Sharks. With two early tries from Josh Parkman, North Dorset got off to a great start. A fantastic third try was scored by Sam Barnes and morale was high. Debutant Arley started off his first match for North Dorset with an incredible run, which set up Sam McConnell to score the team’s fourth try. Josh Parkman scored his third try, after a brilliant tackle from Freddie Heasman, won the ball back for North Dorset. Another try from Sam McConnell allowed North Dorset to go into the second half six tries ahead of the Sharks. North Dorset were on fire in the second half, with Ben Mitchell scoring the seventh try of the match. After the boys continued to push through the Sharks' strong defence, Rares made a brilliant break and scored yet another try for North Dorset. Arley continued to play brilliantly as he scored his first try for North Dorset. Just as the Sharks were looking set to score, Cass Tatman and Joe Frederick ensured they got nowhere near the try line, with powerful tackles and strong defence. The team continued to work together and another two tries were scored by Sam McConnell. After several speedy runs from Alfie Hill and Alex Hodges, Rares scored put the ball over the line again. Having played fantastically, Freddie Heasman managed to break through the Sharks' defence and continue the devastating scoring. Just as the second half was drawing to a close, Arley wowed the crowd to top what was a resounding display. However, the Sharks who had battled well, managed to breakthrough seconds before the whistle in game that ended 14 - 1. Onward and upward for the Under 14s who are looking a well-drilled and determined team.

SCRUM DOWN: Action from Purbeck Sharks v North Dorset

North edge league leaders in thriller

Blandford 17 North Dorset 18

North Dorset travelled to Blandford, who are currently top of the league, expecting a challenging game and they were not disappointed. From the kick-off, Blandford attacked and were camped in North’s 22 for some considerable time but were held out by a steely defence, which was rewarded with a penalty. A great touch kick took North Dorset to the halfway line, and from the line-out, North Dorset pressed hard, and it was Blandford's turn to defend. Following a good movement combining forwards and backs, flanker Charlie Jobling forced his way over the line for a try which was not converted 0 -5. The game then ebbed and flowed, with Blandford missing a penalty kick in front of the posts and Dorset’s Lewis Munster slotting a massive penalty from the halfway line 0-8. Blandford attacked hard but were held out, leading to a good counterattack and an excellent follow up by Dorset's wing Jake Canning resulting in a try converted by Sam Jones 0 - 15. Once again, Blandford put the Dorset line under threat, successful this time with an unconverted try, bringing us to halftime and a score of 5-15. The second half started with a bang, Blandford putting together an excellent back's move and scoring in the corner 10 - 15. This gave the home side a huge lift, and the game was primarily played in Dorset's half until, in a counter-attack, Blandford were penalised. With a problematic kick, Sam Jones brought the score to 10-18. With 15 minutes to go, Blandford threw everything into attack in an attempt to salvage the game. Still, Dorset’s defence was equal to the job until the very last minute when Blandford forced their way over under the posts to score a converted try, which brought the score to 17-18 as the whistle blew, much to the delight of Dorset players and their support.

Continued from P72 ND women were in the mood for a tough match. After facing a few very solid Poole scrums and some big hits from the centre partnership of Emily Kendall and Kayleigh Budge, North Dorset got the turnover, and quick thinking led to the ball ending up in the hands of Amber Corbett. She ran straight down the blindside, length of the pitch, score. The game was restarted with Poole kicking the ball straight to the ND backs, who ran riot, and Emily Kendall broke through to score under the posts, successfully converted by fly-half Amber Corbett. Half time saw a few changes, Letby Burden came on for her first game in eight years and Claire Murray making her debut. By now the crowd were really behind North Dorset, however, Poole came out the blocks hard again for the second half. After 25 minutes Poole scored two tries from a couple of missed tackles and fantastic work from Poole's fly-half and wingers. Then, in the last 10 minutes, there were a few tired bodies, and with the night drawing in, North new they had a chance to settle the match. Some huge hits from Darryl Norris, Kate Collins and Leona Hughes lead to two late tries for ND. The first was a great move from the lineout that saw Kaitlyn Phillips throw the ball to Neale at the front of the lineout, and she marched in from 15 metres out. For the second a hobbling Kendall went down the blindside again after some good interplay from Collins, Corbett and Budge. n Back of the match - Darryl Norris n Forward of the match Mel Mitchell New Blackmore Vale, December 24, 2021 67 Sport Six-shooters Wincanton on fire

Toolstation Western League - First Division Devizes Town 1 Wincanton Town 6

Wincanton Town had yet another big win on Saturday, making it six wins on the trot and nine unbeaten. The wasps went a goal ahead from Jamie Irwin in the first half before being pegged back to 1-1. Straight from the kick-off, Dan Quirke scored to make it 2-1 to Wincanton at half time, skipper Dan Wise also missed a penalty in this period. The second half was a completely one-sided affair, with Connor Williams replacing Cam Allen at half time and scoring almost immediately with a fantastic effort from 20 yards out. Jamie Irwin and Dan Wise made it five to give a comfortable victory and then with seconds to spare, Jamie Irwin completed his hat-trick to put everyone in the holiday mood and complete a resounding 6-1 away win to go fifth in the league. Wincanton Town’s next home game is 2nd January 2 at 1pm.

GOALBOUND: Action from the Devizes v Wincanton match

BUCKET OF FISH: Jason Mills and, right, Jason Randall Mills sets new record for Stour match

Gillingham AA 4th winter championship. River Stour Deepwater to Highbridge. (16 pegs)

The river had fined down to almost a perfect level and most of the anglers caught over 6lb of fish with roach to 1-9, bream to 4lb and perch to 2-8 caught on the match. Winner on the day, and taking the new river match record, was Jason Mills. Jason drew Billings Hole at Deepwater and caught fed worms and casters on the pole at 11m and caught 4 Perch to 2-8 on worms, 6 bream to 4lb, a Hybrid and lots of Roach on maggots and casters to weigh an incredible 38-00. Runner Up was in form chairman, Pete Edwards who drew peg 18 at Highbridge and caught 1407 of mostly Roach to 1-9 on the stick, and maggots and casters. 3rd: Jason Randall 12-06 4th: Neil Kerley- 12-05 5th: Richard Fripp- 9-08 6th: Adie West- 9-07. n Next week is the Christmas match with an 8.30 draw at the Riverside Cafe, fish 10.00-3.00. Book in with Dave on (01747)823159. Entries before Wednesday please and this match will be fished at Lodden Lakes if the river is flooded.

Sport It’s trophy time for club’s winners

Autumn sees the conclusion of the annual round of trophies at Yeovil Golf Club as the finals of many knockout competitions complete the list of trophy winners ready for the various presentation ceremonies held by different sections. The winner of this year’s lady’s knockout competition for the Doris Lewis Trophy was Isabelle Mace who beat fellow lady member Mavis Gibson. Graham Smibert not only won the senior equivalent to claim The McMaster Cup, but he went on to win the Oaksford Cup partnering his wife Sarah to victory when they beat another husband wife duo John and Cathy Sheldon in the final of the mixed knockout competition. Baz Saunders was not only victorious in the Pittard Cup but also partnered his daughter Chloe as they won the Generation Cup when they beat the father and son partnership of James and Charlie Malcolm. Another member claiming two knockout trophies was Philip Park who beat Glen Raeburn in the final of the Aplin Cup and then Robin Kennedy to win the Captain’s Prize. The latter win being particularly notable in that 2021 marked the one hundredth anniversary of that competition. The Secretary’s Salver was won by Zaidoon Zakaria and Daniel Hemsworth who triumphed over Paul Kitto and Gary Wilshaw. They will have the pleasure of collecting the salver from Paul Kitto when, as the new club captain, he hands out the trophies at the men’s presentation event which is to be held early next year. In the Senior Section Jim Vincent & Graham Warren won the George Mead trophy by defeating Barry Forrester & Martin Middleditch; whilst twenty-two handicapper Graeme Card snapped up one of the last trophies of the year by carding a nett 69 in the contest for the Lock Cup. It is one of several unisex competitions at the club, open to both men and women and played off white and red tees respectively.

PRIZE GUYS: Secretary Salver winners Zaidoon Zakaria and Daniel Hemsworth

TROPHIES: George Mead Trophy 2021 winners Jim Vincent and Graham Warren and, right, Phil Park 2021 Aplin Cup & Captain's Prize Winnera

Company’s golf day nets £995 for hospital friends charity

Leading Sherborne company Hunt’s Food Group raised £995 through personal donations at their corporate golf day for customers and suppliers in September this year. Eighty guests played at Woodbury Park Golf Club. Richard Hunt, chairman of Hunt’s Foods Services Limited said: “I am immensely grateful to our guests who responded so positively to our invitation to support the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital. My family connections with the Friends date back to the early days of the Friends in 1951 and, I am pleased to say, continue today.” David Hayes, chairman of the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital responded: “For our 70th anniversary year Mr Richard Hunt is our patron. On behalf of the trustees of The Friends of Yeatman Hospital I thank Richard for donating the proceeds of Hunt’s Annual Golf Tournament, a sum of £995, to our charity. “It will contribute to enabling us to continue to deliver our support to The Yeatman Hospital and the community it serves, including assisting in the funding of capital projects and the routine services we provide from which the patients benefit directly.” “Our gratitude goes to all the players who participated in and contributed to the most welcome and generous donation.”

By Kye Harman

sports@blackmorevale.net

A big thanks to all our local teams and clubs for keeping everyone entertained in 2021, we wish them all a restful Christmas and successful 2022. In the meantime, here’s some end of year, weird and wacky, Christmas Day sports facts.

1Football used to be played on

Christmas Day. With no Morecombe and Wise reruns to watch, fans turned up in their thousands. Over 9,000 ditched the turkey and tinsel to watch the first Xmas Day league fixture in 1889, when Preston beat Aston Villa 3 – 2.

2England cricketers Marcus Trescothick, Simon Jones and Alistair Cook were all born on Christmas Day.

3Think your team has a busy Xmas fixture list? In 1888 Everton played two games on Christmas Day (beating Blackburn 3 – 2, before thrashing Ulster FC 3 –0). Then managed a goalless draw against Bootle on Boxing Day. All 3 games were held at Everton’s pre-Goodison home, Anfield.

4In the US, both American Football and Basketball matches are played on Christmas Day. The National Hockey League played Christmas Day games up until 1971.

On Christmas Day 1940, Brighton & Hove Albion FC arrived at Norwich with just five players. They asked for volunteers from the crowd to make up their 11 and promptly lost 18-0. Ouch!

PEACE BREAKS OUT: Christmas Day football between the British and the Germans during the First World War

Wishing you all a sporty Christmas

6

Christmas Day cricket? Yes! Australia vs West Indies, (1951) Australia vs India (1967), India vs Australia (1969), India vs England (1972) and India vs Pakistan (1979) were all played 7 on Christmas Day. In 1541 Henry VIII banned all sport on Christmas Day. Although he’d loved sport in his youth, in later years not only did he ban Christmas Day sports, he banned football altogether! Conversely, he was the first man to own a pair of shoes just for football, the first ever football boots.

8Clapton Orient FC were given a barrel of beer by their manager before their Christmas Day game in 1931. Which they drank before staggering out to be beaten 2 – 1 by Bournemouth. However, they sobered up enough to win the return Boxing Day fixture 1 - 0.

9In 1647 Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England banned all Christmas sports. Being the cheery chap he was, he also banned Christmas completely. Bah humbug!

Until 1925, Arsenal 10 weren’t allowed to play Christmas Day matches. Highbury was built on land owned by St

John’s College of Divinity who refused to allow games to be played on religious holidays.

Perhaps the most 11 famous Christmas Day sporting event of them all, in 1914 during WWI, German and English troops met up in no man’s land in Flanders on December 25, where they exchanged gifts and played football. The Germans probably won on penalties.

12 Thrust SSC, driven by Andy Green might have raced to a staggering 763.035mph in 1997 for his land-speed record but that’s nothing! In 2018 US scientists calculated that to visit every home in the world in 24 hours, Father C drops by 822 homes a second, meaning a top speed of 650 miles a second! Ho-howoah! n Get featured. Are you a local sports club/team? Want to see your match reports/scores in print and on our website? We’d love to hear from you: sports@ blackmorevale.net