Dunlop 71, Shipston 12.
A BATTLING performance by a determined Shipston proved no match against Dunlop who showed why they rightly deserved their spot at the top of the Midlands Three West (South) table.
Shipston started well and kept up the pressure in the early moments but, to no avail, as Dunlop were able to counter quickly with a well-worked try, scoring out wide on the wing.
This proved to be the dominant theme of the match, Shipston attacked strongly only to lose possession which set up the Dunlop counter-attack.
On the defence, Shipston appeared strong initially, the first-up tackle was good but the Dunlop off-loading was first-class.
This strong support play allowed Dunlop to rack up the scores. However, Shipston were not without their moments, a Dunlop kick was fielded by visiting winger Will Hogan who fed full-back James Sale.
Sale fired a high ball back to his opposite number which gave blindside Andy Hunt time to set up a bone-crunching tackle against the Dunlop winger.
The ball was recycled well by openside Mark Jervis and loosehead Richard Savage and this left the Shipston backs with a good overlap.
Moving the play quickly, fly-half Will Davies fed the centre pairing of Tom Corby and James Wooton, who in turn put winger Josh Bird into space to score in the corner. The conversion was missed.
The second-half started with Dunlop looking dangerous in every attack and often turned their forays into the Shipston 22 into scores. The visitors did break this drought eventually when lock Tom Beeley had a good crash up the centre. A quick recycle saw the ball fed back out to winger Bird who was again able to score in the corner.
This time scrum-half Toby Jones struck the ball well and got his conversion.
Dunlop reinvigorated there attack and the Shipston hooker Matt Corby was caught red handed in front of the referee with his hands in a ruck and was given a yellow card.
With the Rams down to 14 men, Dunlop were clinical and able to rack up two more tries while Shipston struggled.
Dunlop scored their final try of the day. In what had been an impressive performance the Dunlop kicker hit the upright, which was his only miss of the day, and the final whistle.
