Olney 26 - Amersham & Chiltern 13
Olney were welcomed onto the field by the largest home crowd of the season, with over a hundred former players attending a luncheon in the Clubhouse prior to the game expecting a good afternoon of rugby with the home side undefeated to date.
The game commenced with both teams making some long kicks for territory testing each others defence, and Olney’s Winger Kev Smith took a high ball which he fed to opposite Winger, Will Edwards who ran up field only to be stopped by Amersham’s defence preventing the home side from scoring an early try. Amersham then gained territory from a long driving maul by the forwards before giving Olney an early penalty for not releasing the ball once gone to ground. The ball was kicked up field for an Olney line out, from which Olney recycled the ball through the hands of the back line and then the support of the forwards made it to the line and saw Second Row, Steve Harrison score a try in the corner. The conversion was not made but gave the home side the early lead to the delight of the crowd 5-0. The visitors were straight back at Olney and only moments later looked to be in for a try by some strong running from their backs only to be penalised for a forward pass.
With the game looking in balance and a tough afternoon expected, it was pleasing for the home crowd to see Olney extend their lead from some great team work after Amersham sent up a high ball which was taken by Back Row, Jack Sutton who passed to Mike Ormesher who had the forwards ruck over and the ball was then passed to Full Back, James Hannah who in turn passed to Fly Half, Mark Marwood who scored a try, which James Hawken converted taking Olney to a 12-0 lead. Shortly after, Amersham were awarded a penalty for an Olney player not rolling away from a tackle and their Full Back converted getting them a score on the board 12-3. Olney were quick to get back in control with James Hawken making a break mid field and after making ground used the forwards in support, with Flanker, John Robinson finishing off with the try, which James Hawken converted taking the score to 19-3 where it remained at the half time break.
Amersham seemed determined to get more involved in the game from the start of the second half and began to test Olney’s defence, and it wasn’t long before their Fly half went over for a try after a couple of weak/missed tackles in Olney’s back line. This was converted by their Full back bringing the score closer 19-10. The game became more balanced once again and saw both sides makes some clean breaks, with the forwards doing a great deal of donkey work giving the backs a platform to play off. The next score came after another penalty was converted by the Amersham Full Back after Olney were penalised once again and this brought the score to 19-13, a little close for comfort for the home side when they had the edge on possession, despite some good work being made by Number eight, Scott Walker and Hooker, Matthew Boddy dropping on every loose ball in range and seen interlinking well when out in the back line. With both teams pulling out the stops in the last quarter of play it was no surprise to the home crowd when Will Edwards cut through the Amersham defence on a great line and used James Hawken in support to maintain the tempo who in turn passed to Full Back, James Hannah who had been having a great individual game who made the try count with a dive over the line, which James Hawken converted and finished the game on 26-13 to Olney.
Olney remain at the top of the South West 1 East league with six wins from six games and Saturday 16th October will see them make the short trip to local rivals Bletchley were all supporters are encouraged to attend as its always a close contest at Manor Fields.
Tries; S Harrison, M Marwood, J Robinson, J Hannah
Con; J Hawken x3
