Diss come through spectacular encounter to claim important win
Diss on the front foot during Saturday's thrilling game against Letchworth. Picture: John Grist - Credit: Archant
Diss returned to winning ways in one of the most exciting games played at Mackenders for many years.
Early exchanges highlighted a willingness from both sides to play an expansive game. The game was strewn with errors and at times totally unstructured.
Diss entered the Letchworth half on 10 minutes and released Chris Beaird who had a wonderful game and crashed through multiple tackles to score a superb individual try which he converted.
A Letchworth penalty drew the scores closer before Harry Gooderham sliced his way through to increase the lead, with Beaird stepping up to convert again.
As the sides moved into the second quarter, Diss errors allowed the visitors back into the game. Poor tackling and a missed touch kick gave Letchworth space to create a well-crafted try through Lewis Waters. Diss now drifted completely out of the game, allowing the visitors to score two further tries to establish a 10-point lead as half-time approached.
A clever break from Alex Leader then sent Stephen Hipwell crashing through to score a crucial try and a mouth-watering encounter was beginning to develop with the score 21-24 at the break.
Letchworth hit the ground running at the beginning of the second half, slotting an early penalty and then capitalising on slack defence to score yet another converted try to make it 34-21.
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Led by the more experienced players, Diss then lifted their game and began to run at the visitors at pace and from depth and Harry Gooderham scored a superb individual try out wide to lift the entire ground.
Momentum had now changed. Hipwell seized possession within the Letchworth half and yet again crashed over to give the home side a one-point lead. Letchworth looked like scoring every time they had possession, which they promptly did to increase their lead by six points with 10 minutes remaining.
Diss then sent the home support into raptures by scoring two further tries through Hipwell and Gooderham, Beaird converting Hipwell's try superbly from wide out. The home faithful could breathe a sigh of relief having witnessed a wonderful game of attacking rugby.
