Sat 4 Dec 2021, 14:15
Playing Newport was always going to be difficult; they are one of the top teams in the league lying in third place only 3 points off the top with a game in hand and having lost only 2 games all season.
When the team was announced on Thursday evening there were 7 forced changes from the previous week, this didn’t bode well for the upcoming match!
When I got to Heathbrook a couple of hours before kicking off the news got worse, there had been a further 5 forced changes from the original selection, this included the inclusion of Jamie Ramsey, an experienced 1st XV player from a few years ago but now a member of our match day support team, talk about stepping up for the team!
I have got to be honest; my heart sank a little! I suggested to the DoR that I nip home and get my boots, he said I was pencilled in as next on the list!
The outlook was not looking good, however, into the opening quarter of the game it was DK putting the pressure on, making turnovers, scoring the points (Jamie Ramsey getting the first try!) and we went into halftime in the lead!!
Surely, in the second half Newport would start to put the pressure on! To my shame what I didn’t count on was that old DK saying, “The DK Dog”. Not once did I see a head go down, not once did I see any of the DK boys giving less than everything they could give, time after time they delivered!
In attack we were making ground, putting the phases together, hitting the gaps trying to find a way through and in defence we just kept bringing them down, putting bodies on the line. In the end they scored 7 tries to our 3, but it must be said that some of their tries were well worked moves that any team in the league would have had trouble stopping.
Right up to the dying seconds of the game we were only one score away from a major upset when they took their last try, on the final whistle giving them a winning margin that didn’t reflect how close the encounter was.
I must mention the coaching staff at this point, a great team performance despite the fact that there were so many changes, so many payers playing together for the first time, must be a testament to an excellent coaching regime!
Back to the title of this article, “Proud of the DK Boys!” well, yes, in spades! I witnessed 18 players giving everything they had for their coaches, fellow players, spectators, and DK.
Very Proud!
Accelerate from the base!
Shimmy!
Dive for the corner!
Grounded! TRY!!!
