Olney get the win over Vipers

Match report by Jim Ford

Olney took to the M1 North for the first of their return fixtures to take on Leicester Vipers who are sitting at the bottom of their league table. Vipers kicked off and were awarded a penalty from the first play of the game.

Their kicker Robbie Carr gave them the earliest of leads, 3 - 0 after one minute. From the restart the home side counter attacked and Olney got their first touch of the ball, from a line out on their 22. Olney won the ball and scrum half Rich Cowan made a break, taking play to Vipers 5 m. line. Vipers were awarded a scrum but Olney took the ball against the head. Cowan picked up off the base of the scrum and eluded the defence to touch down for an unconverted try. This gave the visitors the lead after 10 mins. 3 - 5.

Following the kick off Vipers were awarded a penalty at a ruck. They kicked to touch, inside the visitors 22; and won the ball at the line out. Play continued in the Olney half, the home sides determination belying their league position. The encounter between the two packs was becoming robust resulting in the visitors losing the services of their Kiwi prop Jeremiah Shields for 10 minutes - yellow carded.

A lineout on the halfway line, won by the visitors, gave them the opportunity to use their backs. Brandon Kerr, at full back, made a break and the ball was put through the hands to Phil Bowden who rounded the defence to touch down under the posts. Patch Adamns added the conversion to extend the visitors lead to 3 - 12 ( 27 mins.).

From the restart Olney knocked on in their own 22 but from the scrum they took the ball against the head and fed the backs for Hamish Bull to put in a good probing run. Vipers defence managed to hold the line and survived the attack. Olney kept up the pressure and Vipers resorted to working the touchline, where Olney were having problems retaining the ball on their throw in.

The next score came from a penalty against Vipers, offside in their own 22. Olney opted for the scrum and won the ball. They fed their threes and Brandon Kerr joined the move to touch down. Patch Adamns added the conversion, in-off the near upright, extending Olneys lead to 3 - 19 just before half time.

HALF TIME SCORE: LEICESTER VIPERS: 3, OLNEY: 19.

Olney kicked off for the second half and won the ball from a line out some 30 m. from Vipers goal line but an interception gave the home side the ball and their Carl Wesley scored a try, converted by Carr to put them into double figures 10 - 19 (8 mins.).

Olney counter attacked from the kick off and gained a line out 18m. from the home goal line. They won the ball and drove the maul to touch down but the referee declared held up. Winning the scrum five Olney drove for the line and Vipers conceded another scrum this time Olney fed the ball out and Kerr scored his second try, unconverted, score 10 - 24 (17 mins.).

To be fair to the home side, Vipers were not making it easy for the visitors and they held on until a penalty for a late tackle on Bowden, who had kicked through, was given where the ball had landed; 5 m. from the home goal line. Olney opted for a scrum and won the ball for scrum half Cowan to take on the defence and touchdown for his second try, no conversion but the score moved on to 10 - 29 (32 mins.).

Awarded a penalty in the Olney half, Vipers benefited from a lapse of discipline when someone must have spoken out of turn in the Olney side. This prompted the ref. to move the kick on a further 10m. Vipers quickly took advantage of this and with the visitors on the back foot they ran the ball for Wes Cartwright to score in the corner, not converted. 15 - 29.

Under attack from the restart Olney defended well and were awarded a penalty, they ran the ball then fed the backs for Marcus Goss to run in a well earned try. Converted by Adamns extending Olneys lead to 10 - 36.

The last scoring move went to the hosts` awarded a penalty on Olneys 5m. line the forwards forced over for a try by Simon Rimble converted by Carr to make the final score 22 - 36.

FULL TIME SCORE: LEICESTER VIPERS: 22, OLNEY: 36.