Oundle v Olney

Olney lose to Oundle away

Olney travelled to Oundle for their first away game of the season and kicked off. They experienced the wrong side of the referees interpretation of the laws almost immediately. Penalised for offside, They received a 'team warning' ! The penalty attempt, at goal, failed, and Olney made good ground following the drop out. Olney won ball at a scrum and Gareth Carhill picked up to feed Phil Bowden, who was finally bundled into touch.

Shortly afterwards Oundle were awarded a penalty that they put in to touch on the visitor's 5m. line. The ball was fed to the Oundle backs and Olney's Dave Smith was 'pinged' by the ref. who played his 'team warning' card, trumped by a 'yellow, despatching Smith to the 'sin bin', after just 15 mins. The ensuing penalty was converted giving the home side the lead 3 - 0.

Although reduced to fourteen men Olney contained the opposition with some good defending. The next score went to the home side who won the ball at a scrum and set up a good three- quarter resulting in a try, unconverted, increasing their lead to 8 - 0.
Olney were back to full strength, but only briefly. Oundle won a scrum on halfway and ran the ball in their backs. Dave Smith tackled his opposite number but the referee penalised him for a 'high tackle', a bit harsh, as Smith had to bend down to make the tackle. Another card this time 'red 'brought the curtains down on 'Smudge's' afternoon.

There was obviously some 'unusual' activity in the set peice, when a scrum on Olney's put in was re-set three times. This eventually resulted in a penalty against the home side.

Olney's prospects took a further dent when skipper Jim Osborn was sidelined by a knock on his leg, he was replaced by Jake Ashton.
A penalty in Oundle's favour was put into touch on the visitor's 5m. line and this enabled the home side to break the Olney defence after 46 mins. play, to add an unconverted try taking the score to 13 - 0.

The restart brought a penalty to the visitors followed by a penalty at a scrum , followed by another penalty. Each time Olney opted to kick for the line out and each time they were thwarted. Then the ref. whistled for half time.

HALF TIME SCORE: OUNDLE 13, OLNEY 0.

Oundle kicked off and Olney returned the ball into the home '22', Oundle ran the ball and kicked for touch, the ball went out on the full but from outside their '22'm line. Olney with possession made a critical error knocking on to concede a scrum on Oundle's 10m line. The home side won the ball and scored a good try through the three's, converted to move the score on to 20 - 0.

Olney attacked from the kick off and were awarded a scrum from a knock on. They won the ball and attacked to within 5m. of the home side's goal line. Unable to press home the advantage they were penalised. Oundle kicked to clear their lines and were helped with another penalty in their favour for a ruck infringement on the halfway line.

Olney rotated their subs to bring on fresh legs. Mark Austin had taken a knock and Charlie Harris moved up from the back row.
Olney continued to defend well but were unable to provide the support in attack that has served them well in the last two games. A knock on in their '22' gave the home side a scrum that they won and kicked to the corner for the right wing to gather and score. The try was converted by their '9' to post the score at 27 - 0. (21 mins.).

Oundle further increased their score winning the ball in loose play and running through for a try converted by their '9'. Score 34 - 0. ( 25 mins. ).
The game continued to stutter on, lots of whistle, little understanding! What was that ref. thinking about?

Olney, at the death, from a knock on by Oundle in the visitor's '22', won the scrum and attacked, involving forwards and the try came. Prop forward Jeremiah Shields touching down, no conversion but points on the board.

FINAL SCORE: OUNDLE 34, OLNEY 5.

TEAM: Jeremiah Shields, Jim Osborne (capt.),George Stanton, Cameron Kok, Mark Austin,
Charlie Harris, Charlie Belcher, Gareth Carhill,
Harry Warn, Jordan Letts,
Will Durden, Dave Smith, James Padfield, Jake Deighton, Phil Bowden.
Subs: Jake Ashton, Isaac Shields, Harry James.

TEAM SPONSOR: DESMOND. J. SMAIL