Saturday’s game, the last league game of the season, was played in front of a large crowd of former players. The home side started in the knowledge that a win would give them a home fixture in the play-off game for promotion. They started playing down the slope, but into a stiff breeze and were intent on getting points on the board quickly.
Attacking from any position, a loose pass was intercepted by a Dorchester player who ran in unopposed to put the first points on the scoreboard. The home side now decided to tighten up and take control of the game, through the forwards.
Three minutes later, following a strong drive, Captain Denning crashed over from short range, to level the score. Fly half, Taylor, added the extra points.
Back in control, the Norton forwards supplied good quality first phase ball from the set piece, especially from the line out, with Fear and Matthews in command. This quick possession allowed Verden and Mitchard some room, both of them collecting tries.
The half ended with Norton having scored a total of three tries and attaining a 19–5 lead.
Right from the restart, the team entertained the crowd with some fine attacking play quickly collecting four more tries. The game now won and the play off place secured, the team relaxed. This allowed the Dorchester team, who competed throughout the game, to score three tries of their own.
Not wanting to finish the game with Dorchester in the ascendance, the team regained their composure. Returning to their previous attacking game, they collected a final tally of eleven tries. This took the final score to 71–22, with Edgell, Mitchard, Verden, Denning, Sawkins, Rose and Holmwood collecting tries and Taylor added eight conversions.
Norton now meet Aylesbury at Norton Down next Saturday in a game which will decide in what league Norton will play next season.