Eighteen points for Dorton, but Charlie is the "darling"

The sleeping dog awoke at Rectory Field on Saturday, and after a settling down first quarter, Gss found the touch that they have promised all season, and had shown at Tottonians where they ran in five tries, although on that day were defeated.
The lively scrum-half Brad Smith did what he has shown in his repertoire in the past, when he deceived the opposition with the dummy pass before diving over the line from close range, to open the score on seven minutes.
Dave Dorton added the extra points to put Gss on the board, 7-0.
Gss pack were working on controlling the game at the set pieces, but a Dover side that had not won a game this season, belied the form guide, and made it as difficult as they could, as they took their own ball at line and scrum.
Although the next score did not appear until the twenty-second minute, had Gss been a bit more clinical in their finishing, there could have been three more tries had the final pass gone to hand. Being a little bit rushed when the open line was beckoning, the ball was sent direct into touch.
Stand out performance during this first half was the welcome return of Charlie Cutting's confidence and this was seen as he led from the front, taking the ball forward and in defence, after such a bad injury that kept him from the park for best part of two seasons.
The recycling of the ball from the breakdown, the close following up that enables the quick offload, keeping the forward momentum going, was all present as Gss looked for the next score. Wide movement of the play, with the game switching both ways across the park, with Ashley Frampton joining so often from full-back, paid off as the youngster raced in wide on the left to add Gss second try.
Unsuccessful with the conversion from the touchline, Dorton added a penalty just three minutes later, in answer to Dover opening and only score of the game, to edge Gss away to 15-3.
So much of the play was centred around the visitors twenty-two, but the resolute defending of the "Sharks" was killing the opportunities that were presenting themselves.
The stalemate was finally broken when after several phases of recycling, with both backs and forwards inter passing the ball, it was veteran Ziggy Stevens who took the scoring pass before running round to touch down.
Dorton's conversion lifted the difference to 22-3 at the break, but one can't help thinking this was at least three tries less than it should have been.
When the team get play happening like they did on Saturday, it seems wrong to single any individuals out, from what was a complete team success, But Dave Dorton's eighteen points, which included a converted try of his own, the three Brad Smith tries, the storming runs from Geoff Marshall, which culminated in one try, but deserved a couple more.
The front five who together set the platform from which much of the game progressed, the back row, with Tom Bird and Matt Hewitt fully committed to the campaign, with the afore mentioned Marshall, great recycling and offloading, Cameron Barber forcing the issue down the centre of the park, the fleet of foot from Temi Okenla, Chris Brady, Frampton and Rhys Betts, not only going forward but stopping the visitors as they worked hard to get past Gss defence.
Along with the starting XV the three replacements, John Luck, Matt Skinner and Joe Tomlin all played a full part in the success on the park.
Four more goals and a penalty were added to Gss score with nil in reply, but had Dover Sharks not been as spirited in their efforts this could have been many more. The score suggests a walkover, but to use this phase in the report would be doing them a great disservice, as their efforts were there, but not rewarded as they came up against a hungry Gss XV who have this season come close to toppling the high flyers in the league table.
Next week away to Chiswick, who have had two home wins, over Totonians and Gosport & Fareham, and away at Brighton (27-29).