North Walsham 17 : 19 Diss - 28th January 2017

From the off, Diss Saracens were prepped for a challenging fixture ahead of them at North Walsham. Diss started the game by kicking off with the sun in their faces and the wind against them. After a few early exchanges, Jacob Page scored early, helped by some good forwards work, with. Adam Goymour adding the extra points. 0-7 up in just 10 minutes Diss started to concede the start of a series of penalties, especially for infringements with rucks. North Walsham were certainly quicker to the breakdown, but Diss held most of the possession. 15 minutes into the game, Diss lost their fly half Will Edwards through injury, which saw Andy McAllister onto the pitch on the wing with Ed Colborn moving from Centre to Fly half. Before half-time, North Walsham scored, but failed to convert. But Diss also scored, with Pete Bray bowling over in the corner with great power and determination. however Adam Goymour failed to convert. Meaning Diss went in ahead at the break, 12-5.

Diss had the advantage of the wind behind them but it required a solid team performance to get the win. This being the local derby saw a lot of physical exchanges, with Chris Trede proving a monster in defence against his opposite number who proved to be good with ball in hand. Nick Garnham and Joe Kindleysides were proving a handful all game in open play, as was Tom Miller when he had ball in hand on the wing. North Walsham were next to score with Diss conceding a lot of penalties, meaning it was all level. Diss although conceding were starting to gel and manipulate play with Ed Colborn standing in really well at Fly half and controlling the game with ball retention and sucking the North Walsham defence in. Jake Girdler received a heavy knock to the head, which made him leave the field and with Henry Passmore coming off the bench. North Walsham scored again, meaning Diss were now on the back foot for the first time in the game, but they failed to convert. The score now 17-12, but with twenty minutes still to play, Diss had confidence with territory and possession control for most of the game to win this game. The Diss forward pack, driving and punching through Walsham’s defence then set up Andy McAllister for a final converted try, making it 19-17 with 5 minutes left. Diss were resilient in their attack but finished the game defending against a good Walsham backline, with good turnovers secured by Nick Garnham and Joe Kindleysides.

This now leaves Diss second in the table and four points behind Fakenham. With just five league games left to play, and with Fakenham being the last game of the season at Mackenders, expect a nail biting end to the season for Diss Saracens.