EMOTIONAL David Dunn reflected on Bournemouth’s dramatic victory and then vowed: We will finish the job.
Director of rugby Dunn had tears in his eyes as he spoke following Lions’ thrilling 27-26 win over Chinnor in Saturday’s top-of-the-table showdown.
Dan Pollard scored 22 points to help the Dorset outfit move firmly into pole position for the title and automatic promotion from National Three South West.
The win came after a breathtaking encounter between the division’s leading two sides, with Chinnor hauling themselves back into the contest after Lions had led 21-9 at the half-time interval.
Chinnor fly-half James Cathcart, who kicked 16 points for the visitors, missed a penalty under intense pressure with the final play of the game to spark wild Bournemouth celebrations at Chapel Gate.
Victory in their final three matches of the season would see Bournemouth seal a place in English rugby’s fourth tier. Speaking to the Daily Echo minutes after the final whistle, Dunn insisted his men would not waste their big chance.
He said: “We have three games left and I am not even going to think about next week for the next couple of hours. I am going to really enjoy it.
“But of course, after putting all that work into this, we are not going to let it slip now. I can guarantee that.”
Dunn revealed that the father of Sam Yarwood, the Lions star who tragically died in April, had been in attendance among a crowd of around 1,200.
“I was hugged at the end by the father of Sam Yarwood,” said Dunn. “We are a family and we have taken our losses and we have taken our hits.
“I have been through the bad times with the club and now it is the good times. You can’t ask for any more than this. It is great.”
Dunn added: “It was a tremendous game of rugby. I couldn’t have asked any more of the players. We got what we deserved in the end and that was the victory.
“I said to the players all they had to do was win by one point and that was exactly what we did.”
Chinnor head coach Jason Bowers told the Oxford Mail: “I thought we played some really great rugby and probably deserved to win after coming back the way we did, so it was very frustrating.
“Bournemouth are a good side and we gave them some soft possession, which you cannot afford to do.”
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