This home fixture against Kettering was also the occasion of the annual sponsors and vice presidents lunch. The club is always very grateful to the often unseen supporters and sponsors, without whom the club would not be able to function as it does. Credit should also go to Marcus Trott and the sponsorship team who put in a tremendous amount of work to make it happen. After dining on tongue in cider followed by spotted dick and a fruity tart, the large crowd set themselves up for what promised to be an entertaining afternoon.

Olney started the match and pressure from the kick off led to a knock on. From the scrum, a pick up at the base to Ethan Chambers gave him the chance to create a gap as big as the proverbial wizard’s sleeve for Harvey Dench to run through and score. Conversion by Charlie Hicks and Olney 7-0 ahead after 2 minutes. Kettering soon had points on the board though courtesy of a kicked penalty goal. A handling error by Olney’s backs allowed Kettering to pounce on the loose ball and set up a try in the right corner for their winger. Harry Vine put Olney back in the lead with a try wide on the right following some good pressure in the Kettering 22, again well converted by Hicks. Olney were having the better of things and Elliot Simpson was next on the scoresheet with a fine individual effort having harried and hassled the defence into a mistake to give him the half chance which he took well. Kettering were never going to be an easy side to beat, particularly with their pack which was working effectively both in the set piece and the loose, so it came as not much of a surprise when they trundled over for a try on the half hour mark. On the stroke of half time, a crunching tackle by veteran centre Will Edwards dislodged the ball and Dench was on hand again to collect the spillage then beat the defence for the bonus point try. Half time score 28-13 to Olney.

The second half saw a resurgent Kettering have more of the possession, again mainly through their forwards who were forcing Olney backwards and pressurising them into giving away penalties (and several of them) to the frustration of the crowd and the referee. An annoying feature creeping into the game nowadays is the over exuberant celebration of any seemingly favourable decision. Credit to the referee who clamped down on this whooping and yelping by reversing his decision a couple of times. Olney’s backs showed what they do best when given enough ball when Vine scored his second of the day, again wide on the right. Kettering preferred the tighter game so their forwards took control again and this paid off when a well-executed drive finished up with the try they deserved. Still the penalty count was increasing and the man with the whistle decided someone had to suffer so Jake Millburn was singled out for a 10 minute spell in the bin. Kettering played to their strengths and towards the latter stages of the game forced a penalty try to take them to within one score. Despite the onslaught, Olney held on to finish with a bonus point win and keep their place in the top half of the league.

Prop Jim Osborn deserves a mention this week having racked up 250 first team appearances. Jim has been involved with the club since he was 6 years old, has progressed through all the age groups and if there was ever an example of a true clubman then look no further than him. Just for interest, there is a club member who could claim to have probably seen every one of Jim’s 250 games. No prizes but try and work out who.

Things have been quiet from the Harris household of late but this is partly due to their newly found romantic exploits. We heard that Mr Harris arrived home one Saturday to be called upstairs where he was met by Mrs Harris wearing not much else but her best perfume but carrying some hand-cuffs and soft rope. She explained that he could tie her to the bed and do whatever he wanted. Thinking this was birthday and Christmas all at once, he tied her to the bed and went back to the rugby club!