Dagenham rugby second team

Merit League Division 8 Billericay 3 Dagenham IIs 15

It was a winning start to the season for the new-look Dagenham second XV side in a tricky away fixture at Billericay.

The visitors enjoyed most of the possession in the first half and were rewarded with two early penalties, with Liam Power on hand to slot one through the posts.

But Billericay upped their game and were able to spend some time in the Ds half, but the defence held out until conceding a late penalty which the hosts duly converted to level the scores at half-time

The second half saw a number of changes in the Dagenham side as they chased the win.

They had dominated the scrums throughout the day and from a scrum Dagenham was awarded a penalty 15 metres from the Billericay line.

And after one play, second row Tom Warwick was able to smash his way over the line but was held just short.

However, up popped prop Reece Morris to drive over the line and score a converted try to give them a 10-3 lead with a quarter of the match remaining.

A great break from centre Dave Purton pushed Billericay back on their 10-metre line with a scrum being given to the Ds.

The pressure was too much as it had to be reset twice as Billericay buckled under the pressure, and in the end the referee awarded a penalty try, though the conversion attempt went just wide.

Dagenham: Goodenough, Arnold, Purton, Genovesa, Francis, J Knowlden, R Smith, Kitenge, Waller, Power, L Smith, Warrick, Morris, A Evans, Nichols, P Evans, G Knowlden, Harrington-Brown, Myers.