Holt 0 : 40 Diss - 7th January 2017

On a cold, damp, misty afternoon Diss stepped onto the Holt pitch remembering that the outcome of the corresponding fixture at the same time last year did not go in their favour.

Holt kicked off and in the space of 15 minutes the referee had awarded 6 penalties against both sides. However, what became clear after 20 minutes was the Diss pack were dominant in all aspects, giving the opposition a torrid time throughout the game.

Diss were quick to use their backs on attacking ball and, after 15 minutes, scored from a line out with the ball put through the backs wide to West - who played well all afternoon – only to be brought down 5m from the line. Support arrived in time and Hipwell was bundled over to score the first points, McClure converting.

The second try was set up by the tireless Abercrombie. A turn over ruck ball, fed through the backs to give West a chance out wide, beating two men and scoring in the corner. McClure converted.

On 20 minutes, with 2 substitutions made Joe Brock and John Bergin were brought on and after a period of mid field speculative kicking, Diss attacked from their line out on the Holt 22m through Hipwell from the tail. He was stopped short but the ensuing Diss scrum was won and pushed over for Hipwell to score from the base. Well-deserved as he worked hard all afternoon in attack. 98% of the first half had been played in the Holt half with the home team struggling to find an exit strategy from their territory and continuing to allow a superior Diss pack to dictate terms.Diss went into half time leading 0 – 19, with more expected in the second.

The second half started quietly however for Diss and Holt attacked through their backs, when in possession, but the Diss defence held to keep the hosts out. Then after some clever inter play between forwards and backs in the mid field, McClure placed a well weighted chip over the Holt defence for Burroughs and Wilby to chase. The latter picking up and scoring, McClure converting.

15 minutes in and young Angus McDaniel was brought on the replace Ed Hudson. Discipline at this stage of the game was poor by both sides, particularly at the breakdown, so all present became very accustomed to the refs whistle.

McClure’s tactical kicking however was working well from mid field, when another clever chip over the top sent Will Waddingham chasing down the ball. The ball eventually finding its’ way to the supporting John Laurie who powered his way over. McClure converted to make the score 0 – 33.

Holt now decided to go on the attack at all costs and pushed Diss hard through their backs until Joe Brock was shown a yellow card for a ruck infringement, shortly after Holt lost two props. The game was temporarily played with uncontested scrums which kept Holt attacking and Diss defending, conceding 4 penalties in 10 minutes.

Chris Beaird then took matters into his own hands through a series of powerful, purposeful runs out of defence, which were finished off by the sharp Alex Leeder at a breakdown, who again found a glimmer of space in the Holt defence to go on his own to score the last try of the game. McClure converting to bring the score to 0 – 40.

Report by Alastair Shepherd