RUGBY: Old Laurentians
Victory ahead of big Newbold derby on Saturday
Midlands 2 West (South)
Barkers Butts 17
Old Laurentians 35
Although OLs took an early lead in this game, they lacked their usual fluency through the first forty minutes and found themselves facing a half time deficit against a competitive and determined Barkers' team who were well worth their advantage at the break.
But the Fenley Field side stepped up the pace in the second half and played with more conviction and determination, dominating the final session to add four more tries and run out ultimately as comfortable winners.
OLs went ahead after eight minutes with a Denzil Evans penalty before Jamie Brightwell ran in a fine try from near half way, after quick lineout possession and a miss pass gave him the space he needed. A superb conversion from Evans lifted the lead to 10-0 after twelve minutes and OLs appeared to be on their way to another comfortable win.
But thereafter they managed to fritter away possession and position and regularly got on the wrong side of the referee. Barkers sensed an opportunity and lifted their game to score two tries, first when a penalty attempt was drifting wide and hung in the air, a Barkers chaser sneaking in to steal the ball from under the noses of OL's defenders and touch it down.
Then OLs won possession after a close in Barkers lineout but contrived to cough it up and present the home side's number 10 with a simple run in. Both tries were converted and the teams turned round at the break with Barkers holding a 14-10 lead.
Eight minutes into the second half, OLs scored the try that marked the turning point in the game. OL's pack was down to seven after an earlier yellow card for Paul Willis but won a scrum under pressure, deep in their own half. The ball was moved right for Iain Wallis to slice through the Barkers defence with a lovely break and feed Simon Bayliss, the wing running in from fifty metres to score.
Three minutes later and Richard Parker sent Bayliss away again. This time the wing was tackled but not held, regaining his feet to go over from thirty metres out and hoist the score to 20-14.
Barkers pegged three points back with a penalty, but OLs were now in full flow, enjoying the lion's share of possession and territory. First Evans kicked a penalty after Glenn Todd and Carl Adams made deep inroads into the defence. Then Bayliss came off his wing to make a half break in midfield and send Brightwell away. The left wing made good ground before switching the ball back inside for Bayliss to go over and round off a second half hat trick of tries, Evans converting for 28-17.
As the clock ran down, Parker's surging run breached the defence but an attempted offload went loose. A poor Barkers clearance kick found Ben Wiles in space and the centre ran strongly to go over for the final try, Evans adding the goal points to round off the scoring.
This Saturday sees the big local derby at Newbold. Forget the relative positions of the sides in the league as this one is always tense and frequently close. Kick off at Parkfield Road is at 3.00pm. Both sides were in Warwickshire Cup action on Wednesday – OLs at Earlsdon and 'Bold at home to Berkswell & Balsall, their second meeting in five days following their league clash last Saturday.
Warwickshire League 1
Stratford upon Avon 2nd XV 7
Old Laurentian 2nd XV 26
After the disappointment of last weeks defeat, OL's 2nds travelled to Stratford for the return league fixture.
After early Stratford pressure, OLs went on to the attack. The ball was turned over at a Stratford lineout on their 22 and fed quickly to Will Sinclair, who showed a good turn of pace to outstrip the defence and score the first try, converted by Harry Bryan.
It was OLs on top now, the pack being driven forward by the excellent Howard Harris at scrum half. The front row of McEwan, Hammond and the Fish were in fine form and Joel Gleghorn and evergreen Eddie were delivering good ball from the line out
From a scrum just inside the home half the ball was moved to Harry Bryan who broke the line and fed Cato at full pace. He took the ball to 10 metres from the line and gave a perfect pass for the returning Matt Miller to score in the corner.
OLs back line were on fire and from a turnover in their own 22 the ball was moved wide for Dom Hammond to link with Miller, whose storming run outpaced the Stratford defence before he scored in the corner, the try magnificently converted by Harry Bryan - a contender for try of the season.
The half ended with the hosts scoring a fortuitous converted try for a score at the break of 19-7 to OLs.
The second half was more somewhat more sedate, with the home team's spoiling tactics and the referee seemingly wanting to slow the game down at every opportunity.
Stratford were having their best spell but stout defence led by OL's back row of Disco, Dave Longrigg and the again excellent James Melvin repelled everything they could throw at them
OLs then lost the try burglar Webb, replaced by Pete Nealon who announced his return with a crunching tackle on the Stratford wing. Further changes were made with Gav Randall replacing 2nd row Gleghorn and sting Ray Smith on for waiter McEwan.
OLs finally delivered the killer blow with ten minutes remaining, Dan Volkman picked the large Stratford fly half and drove him back ten yards with the ball turned over. The OLs backline again moved the ball quickly to Miller, who notched his hat trick with another outstanding finish.
A solid performance from the 2nds gives the team a platform to finish the season in style. Special mentions to the returning Matt Miller and Harry Bryan, who were both class acts; and to Melv, who gets better week by week.
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Weather for Rugby
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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