This week’s guest reporter: Ella VaPair

On the road again for the final match prior to the break for the festive season and a visit to Leicester Forest who, despite their league position, usually prove to be tricky opposition on their artificial pitch. As usual the happy band of travelling supporters followed the team in expectation of a good afternoon of entertainment and in hope of a victory. With Plod Soman back in action, we’ve heard he arrived on his pre-Christmas date with a gift for the lady in question. When she opened it and revealed a prosthetic leg, he explained it was just a stocking filler.

The game started at a pace and within the first minute Olney had points on the board. Eliot Simpson jinking through a couple of tackles and releasing Will Brock on the right wing who beat the cover to score and even had time to smile at his Mum who was watching on the touchline. As mentioned earlier though, Forest are used to the artificial pitch and always looked capable of putting points on the board. After stringing some good phases together their backs got into action and a long pass to the right wing gave him enough room to score wide out. A fine angled run from their powerful centre following clean lineout ball and a try under the posts gave the hosts the lead shortly after. Jim Osborn then showed all his sevens skills have not been wasted with a blistering run along the left wing to score a fine try from 30m out. Forest again showed good ball retention and after battering the line for a while eventually touched down in the left corner. An interesting half which saw a yellow and a red card for a couple of misdemeanours which the referee spotted, fortunately for Olney the yellow was theirs so after 10 minutes they would be back up to 15 again. Half time score 17-10 to Forest.

The second half was eventful with more than a few lectures to captains and individuals for what may have seemed like minor instances to the uninitiated but probably needed saying anyway. The troop of various nativity characters were making themselves heard from the side and there was plenty of action on the pitch along with a pitch-side bar to keep them vocal. George Bennett, who was having a fine game, took on several forest players before finding Rob Morgan whose try closed the gap after a determined run from the 22 to dot down under the posts, converted by Ewan Fuller to level the score. Olney then earned a bonus point when Captain Goss fed Ethan Chambers (complete with black eye from the earlier incident) who then looked for Brock in support which then led to him bagging his second of the day as he finished with style. Forest closed the gap later with a penalty kick but Olney pulled further ahead when a break from deep by Brock followed by good handling by forwards and backs gave Morgan the chance to run in for his second try of the match. Prop Leonard Idiakhoa was not to be upstaged by Jim so he took off from his own 22 and shrugged off several defenders before finding Harvey Dench who impressed the home side with his spectacular celebration and dive when scoring under the posts, converted by Jacob DeMain. Straight from the kick off Olney were back in action when Dench off-loaded to Chambers who made several yards before getting held up but that man Leonard showed his pace in support and flew down the right wing to score. Towards the end, Forest camped on the Olney line and eventually the defence cracked for the home side to score the last try of the match taking the final score to 25-41 with Olney the victors.

On the shortest day and with the cold wind whipping up, the final whistle was a welcome sound for the many supporters who made the effort to travel and witness the spectacle which unfolded before them. Probably the right result on the day but a well fought contest between two sides who were more evenly matched than the league positions may have suggested. Surely the bus trip home would have been eventful but best not put into print!

This reporter would like to wish his reader a Happy Christmas and New Year and if he/she wishes to comment or whatever people do on social media then please feel free to do so.