Olney Ladies travelled down the M1 to Luton on Sunday to take on Stockwood Park in their latest league game. With injuries and illness taking its toll the early season euphoria of having a full 15 plus subs had long since evaporated but the Pink Ladies are well versed in playing against the odds. In an unusual display of opposition solidarity Stockwood Park kindly offered to lend 2 of their own players to give Olney a full 15 without the match being forfeited.

The first half proved to be a defensive slog for Olney who spent the majority of the period pinned into their own half. The match started off positively enough however, as from the kick off Olney regained possession but they then gave away the first of a multitude of penalties that hampered their cause all afternoon. The home side, in the main, were happy to take tap penalties, go into contact and then try and realease their backs at second or third phase. The Olney defence was impressive however, backs and forwards combining well to thwart opposition incursions close to the line. With Lily Gavin, Jen Micklewright and Amanda Kinder leading the early defensive effort, Park, despite having nearly all the ball and territory were unable to break through. The defensive effort forced handling errors and misdemeanours at the breakdown, allowing the boot of Gavin to clear the Olney lines on multiple occasions. Even when the home side seemed certain to score the Pink Ladies stood firm but the continual penalties for high tackles ensured that the pressure was never relieved for long. Eventually with half an hour on the clock, and after yet another penalty conceded, Park took the tap and instead of taking the contact, shifted the ball to a support runner who ran through the gap to score. This was soon followed by a second score when after a scrum the ball was moved into the backline and after 3 or 4 phases space was created wide on the left for the winger to touch down. Neither try was converted but from holding out for most of the half Olney suddenly found themselves 10-0 down. However, the half ended with a rare Olney foray into Stockwood territory as the restart was fumbled giving Olney a scrum on the 22 metre line. Olney won a penalty at the resulting ruck which Micklewright took quickly. Although she was tackled close to the line the defence had not retreated 10 metres and from the second penalty, and good ruck ball secured, scrum half Hannah Ulcoq darted over to score with the last play of the half. Half time score 10-5 to the home side.

The final play of the first half showed that when Olney played with pace and a bit more intensity they were more than a match for their opponents and could get out of the defensive stranglehold that they had spent most of the first half under. Nonetheless, the second half did not start as planned. Olney knocked on at the restart, gave away another high tackle penalty, and were made to pay as Stockwood retained possession and scored on the left. The try was converted giving the home side a comfortable 17-5 lead with the half barely 5 minutes old. Things went from bad to worse almost immediately when the referee lost patience with Olney’s high tackle count and brandished the yellow card. Once again the Pink Ladies were on the back foot but were unlucky to concede the next score. From a goal line drop out Stockwood fielded the ball with a foot in touch, but the Olney linesman, (no names mentioned), briefly waved his non-flag hand at the ref, who blew him a kiss back and played on. Stockwood took full advantage and after winning a scrum, as they swept back into the 22, once again they squeezed in at the corner. The home side were now playing with confidence and despite Olney winning some good turnovers, little handling errors always seemed to give the advantage back. When Stockwood scored a good try from a kick and chase from a scrum, at 29-5, and still with 20 minutes left, it seemed that the floodgates may open. Strangely this impossible position seemed to be the catalyst for Olney to really up their game. For the rest of the match they played with an intensity and pace with ball in hand which proved that they can test any opposition at this level when they’re in the mood! A great handling move, involving forwards and backs, along with quick ruck ball, created enough space for Ulcoq to use her pace to run in under the posts, Gavin converting for a seven pointer. A period then followed with both teams trying to attack but both defences standing firm until loose ball enabled Stockwood to once again work space on the left for the score. Olney now though had the bit between their teeth. Naomi Leicester, who, as always, had been quietly but effectively going about her business in the second row appeared to be at every ruck, clearing out to secure clean ball for the backs. Kayleigh Beare and Lianne Manley-O’Reilly , strong in defence earlier, were running hard with ball in hand switching the pressure onto the home sides defence. A great chase by Kinder from the restart turned the ball over and Olney, with backs and forwards combining with slick handling seized the advantage. Ulcoq was once again the beneficiary. She doesn’t need much space to work in and jinked over for her hattrick. With minutes left the thought of a bonus point try spurred Olney on through the increasing fatigue. A solid scrum in the Stockwood 22 gave the backs the chance to hit hard in midfield and a quick second phase saw try scoring machine Ulcoq skip through to score once more for the last score of the game.

An important bonus point for an Olney side that defended superbly in the first half and played exceptionally in attack in the second. They will probably feel that with a bit more confidence and intent with ball in hand in the first half they could have possibly reaped greater rewards. Sometimes that is just the consequence of being up against it numbers wise, but all in all a really good performance from all those that wore the shirt today