Result: Old Leamingtonians RFC 1st XV 20 - 17 Daventry RFC 1st XV

In a national cup weekend where neither side featured Old Leamingtonians hosted Daventry in an arranged friendly encounter. From the kick off Daventry dominated the territory and the first ten minutes saw the home side on the defensive with Daventry failing to capitalise on good possession due to the solid defensive play. After 10 minutes OLs began to gain advantage with pressure being put on Daventry with some good flowing three-quarter moves but it was prop forward Bill Johnson appearing wide out on the wing who completed a move that saw OLs take the lead with an unconverted try after 15 minutes of play.

The game continued to be evenly contested but it was Daventry who scored next when a sustained period of possession saw the visiting forwards drive OLs back over the goal line for a try that was converted making the score 5 - 7.

Daventry continued to enjoy ascendancy for most of the first half and despite having a man yellow carded posted the next score with another forward driven try that went unconverted. OLs then came back into the game with some good flowing rugby that saw possession taken well into the visiting half of the field and from one forward drive, back row Tom Smith picked up and drove over the line to score OLs second try of the match. This was unconverted and the half time whistle went with OLs two points adrift at 10 - 12.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first with Daventry taking the initiative and it was another forwards driven phase of the game that saw a third visiting try scored wide out that went unconverted.

The score remained the same until the final ten minutes with the majority of the game being played between the 22 metre areas with very few scoring chances being created. This last period belonged to OLs with the forwards gaining good ground and the faster OLs three-quarters causing the visitors problems in defence. From one such flowing move winger Adam Stannard crossed the goal line wide out after crashing through two defensive tackles to bring OLs within 2 points. The conversion was missed.

The game re-started with OLs gaining possession and taking the game back into the Daventry half of the field where the home pressure paid off in the final minute when after good recycling of the ball and forward drives by OLs, second row Joe Tallamini found himself on the wing and charged through for OLs fourth try of the match to move the home side into a 20 points to 17 lead. The conversion went wide but the final whistle ended the game with OLs coming out on top.

Nest week sees OLs visit Woodrush in the Midlands 3 West (South) League with a 3.00 pm kick off.

Report provided by Denis Fisher
Photos by Tim Nunan 1.Adam Stannard bursts through
2.Joe Talamini scores again