Oadby Wyggestonians v Olney
1st February 2025
This week’s guest reporter: Rhoda Pigg
A trek over the border this week to Leicestershire and the wilds of Oadby. Always a warm welcome and very hospitable off the pitch but tough and formidable opponents on it so Olney would have to perform well to come away with a victory. Some of the travelling band of supporters made the trip despite it being an international weekend with other distractions on the television. An observation brought up in conversation this week was that you can’t give away a used mattress nowadays but somehow we’ll pay £150 a night or more to sleep on one in a hotel.
Wyggs kicked off on a grey and chilly afternoon playing with the slight advantage of the sloping pitch and were soon making inroads into Olney territory, testing the defence which was up to the task and held them out well. With Olney’s first real attack they put together several phases and when the ball was fed to Archie English on the right wing he took his chance well for the first score. Conversion from Ewan Fuller. A pattern was emerging with Wyggs aiming to bash holes using their strong pack and Olney playing their normal expansive running game with both sides looking capable of scoring more tries. A Wyggs penalty gave them points on the board but from the kick off, Olney won the ruck with Jacob DeMain breaking clear and offloading to Stu Livesey for the run in close to the posts. When next in the Olney 22, Wyggs forwards got close to the line and pressure told when they barged over for their first try. A handling error by Olney when attacking allowed Wyggs to hack the ball nearly the length of the pitch and they stayed down there to score wide on the right and narrow the score to a one point gap. Olney were reduced to 14 following a late tackle but determination from the pack put Rob Morgan in a position to barge his way over with the half drawing to a close. The conversion took the half time score to 21-13 in Olney’s favour.
In the second half an early Wyggs penalty took them to within one score and both sides were continuing with their own style of play which seemed to be the way the rest of the game was to be played out. Olney were trying their best to run wide on most occasions but were thwarted by some strong defence and the occasional handling error. Wyggs were content to slow things down at times but looked dangerous when on the charge, again testing the Olney defensive line which held up well. Olney could do with the bonus point and a sustained attack in the latter stages of the match saw the Olney forwards camped on the Wyggs try line. This pressure told when Livesey spotted a gap and powered his way through for a deserved score. Converted again to leave the final score of a close fought contest at 16-28.
Overall, a good hard game which could have gone either way. Debutant Charlie Down fitted in well and showed that there is strength coming up through the system. Ewan Fuller had another strong game and Ethan Chambers kept up the tempo from scrum half. It may be an age related thing but this reporter found some of the refereeing decisions confusing so had to have them explained by the man with the whistle at full time. It’s always worth asking as long as it’s done politely. Referees may not always be popular (especially if you’ve lost) but they are only human and there wouldn’t be a game without them.
Allegedly Mr Harris was tasked with shopping for some new underwear for Mrs Harris. He arrived home with a pack of 10 the correct size and all the same colour. Mrs Harris protested saying that if they were all the same colour people will think I don’t change them. “Which people would that be then?” asked Mr Harris.
[Editor - no pics from the match so here's one of Mr Fuller looking suave in his new Club blazer]