Welcome to Market Bosworth this week with whom we anticipated an exciting open running game as we have done in previous encounters. With today also being the occasion of the former player’s lunch it would be an expectant and possibly critical crowd on the touchline, many of who would be proclaiming it was better in their day. It wasn’t but they’re entitled to their opinion. It’s said that some of them have a mouth like a magician’s hat…….you never know what’s coming out next. Today we also honoured those in the armed forces in the form of a short service of remembrance commemorating those who served King, Queen and country and gave the ultimate sacrifice. Well done Charlie Hicks………brought a tear to the eye.

It was a gloomy afternoon (Steve said where’s my coat? Oh it’s here where I left it!) but Olney tried to light things up from the start with some fine running and inroads into the Bosworth half. Good interplay between Ewan Fuller, Charlie Hicks and Struan Brooks resulted in the first try for Brooks, converted by Hicks. After 15 minutes another good attacking phase created the chance for Fuller to open his legs and show what he’d got when he brushed off a few tackles to score under the posts. As expected though, Bosworth came back well and when they had worked their way into the Olney 22, a couple of quick tapped penalties caught the Olney defence off guard and their forwards rewarded with the first try. Shortly after the kick off Olney capitalised on a Bosworth error and Jacob DeMain and Stu Livesey worked well together to give Livesey the opportunity to barge over from close range. With the crowd anticipating more, Olney secured the bonus point for the day when some good movement and handling saw Ethan Chambers backing up as usual and dotting down for the fourth try. Bosworth were never going to give up though and had some powerful attacks, particularly using their heavier forwards who battered the Olney line hard enough to crack the defence and score on two occasions prior to the half time whistle. The second of these was scored by a man they called Blister because he only appears after the hard work is done. Half time score at 26-17 to Olney.

The second half continued in a similar fashion with both sides intent on attacking and it was Olney who put the next points on the score board following some elusive running from Brooks and then Rob Morgan who dummied and swivelled past four or five defenders and sprinted from 25m to score close to the posts. Again Bosworth came back at the hosts and a lovely run around move in the backs bamboozled the Olney defence giving their fly half a well-deserved bonus point try. Morgan bagged his second of the day, this time not running as far when he picked from the base of a ruck to spot a gap and score from close range. A spell of stalemate followed with both sides cancelling each other out and a few penalties being conceded, one of which was in range for Hicks who added 3 more points to Olney’s tally. When things looked as if this would be the last points of the day, up popped Arthur Betteridge with a streaking run along the left wing and rounding the last man to score under the posts, no doubt to the delight of his father who was sat close to the action. Final score 48-24 to Olney.

A good game played in the right spirit and befitting the occasion. As ever there will be things for the coaches to scrutinise and work on in training but a bonus point win is just what we needed. As the evening progressed, the old folk slurred at each other and no doubt got picked up by a dutiful partner only to declare what a good night it was and they must do it more often.

In the local news, the funeral has just been held of a man who died after being hit by a tennis ball. His wife said it was a lovely service. Further afield we learned that a man in Saudi Arabia has been caught stealing hand sanitiser. Ironically he no longer has a use for it.