Watton 0 : 22 Diss 3s - 19th November 2016

Diss travelled to Watton at the weekend with revenge on their mind after last season’s away game defeat sent the 3rds off their promotion push. Diss welcomed Jarry Ryan to the club and he helped himself to four tries in the game which keeps the 3rds top of the table after another bonus point win. Two things came from the game of note, Will Foote can’t play second row and Benny Goodman can still tackle. Diss captain Benny Goodman went on to say the clean sheet was just as pleasing as the bonus point win. Diss began brightly and managed to dominate the Watton pack after a barging charge by John Alexander who got Diss into the Watton twenty two. A won lineout followed and eventually after a darting run by Steve Macqueen and a scything run from full back by Fergus Newman the ball got to Jarry Ryan for his first try. Watton came back at Diss and had a lineout on the five metre line and as the pass went through the hands to the Watton centres the captain Benny Goodman managed to stop the centre scoring an almost certain try from close range. The game ebbed and flowed, Owen Atkinson played with his heart and Jack Owen played with his head. After several opportunities to score by Diss the half finished only at 5-0. The game burst into life in the second half when Diss began to dominate the Watton scrum with good work from veteran prop Baz Teare and Freddie Cornish got the better of their opposite numbers and managed to free up Foote at number 8 to set up a try out wide again for Jarry Ryan. Another similar try could have been scored when almost a Baa baas passing movement went from Macqueen to James Hayhoe for Goodman to make a lovely pass to Foote but for the winger to knock on inside the Watton half. Watton continued to attack but Diss again managed to get the ball out wide to Ryan who secured his hat trick midway through the half which he converted himself. With former colt Billy King out wide finding space, colt Daniel Baxter and former colt Gregor Shipperlee came on to inject some youth onto the pitch. All Diss wanted now was the bonus point win and they duly got it when Ryan came off his wing to take the ball out wide and score out again. The game soon finished and this leaves Diss looking good with just the two Yarmouth sides to play leading towards Christmas before the halfway mark is reached.

Report by Benny Goodman