Diss 26 : 5 Campion - 28th March 2015

Diss responded in positive fashion to last week’s defeat to League leaders Chelmsford by putting third placed Campion firmly to the sword on home territory. Diss have now booked a play- off place and will need to win their final home game against Basildon to have any chance of a home draw on April 25th . Early exchanges were very even ,with both sides showing an intent on playing open attacking rugby. Positive indications were that the Diss eight were going to dominate affairs and following a heel against the head Warren Wilby broke from his own twenty two to send the experienced Thomas Holt in from the half way line. Jack Peacock stepped up to convert from the touch line and Diss lead 7-0 on eight minutes. Campion responded by besieging the Diss line but outstanding collective defence allowed Diss to attack deep into the Campion half and following a series of five metre scrummages John Bergin scored . Peacock missed the conversion but Diss were now 12-nil to the good after 15 minutes. The game now went through a phase of pressure from both teams, with Diss attacking at every opportunity but a lack of precision and careless handling errors meant that continuity was lost. With the half drawing to a conclusion Campion stormed forward and produced a series of attacking phases eventually releasing No 8 Greg Lyons wide on the right . Lyons was certainly the stand out player for Campion and fully deserved his try. The conversion was missed and both teams went into half time with the game in the balance. That said ,the Diss forward effort was beginning to take its toll on the Campion eight.

The second half started with a superb break from the rampaging Tim Groom. Groom was having a huge impact in all areas of the game and epitomised the ethos being set by the Diss team. Whilst the early exchanges of the second half were rather untidy, Diss continued to exert tremendous pressure up front and on fifty minutes following a ruthless driving maul and the ensuing five metre scrum ,Captain Fraser Hall scored from the push over try , with Jack Peacock converting to increase the lead to19-5 with the final quarter still to play. There now followed a period of careless kicking and retention of possession from both teams until on 70 minutes the dynamic Warren Wilby broke through from inside his own half to link with Jack Keppel and Will Scott . The attack was finally halted close to the Campion line allowing Matt Richards to crash over to score and secure another crucial bonus point. Jack Peacock stepped up to convert the try with a beautiful kick from the touch line to extend the Diss lead to 26-5. The final ten minutes were played out in a rather error strewn period that led to Michael Fuller being sin binned for an alleged late tackle. If anything Diss left at least twenty points out on the field due to a lack of clinical finishing. Now the mathematical calculations will begin as to who receives a Play –off home draw.