Great win at Park Hall

Oswestry 7 – Shrewsbury 76
(Try’s: Pascal 2 - Ben Proctor 1 – Fin Livingstone 1 – Connor 1 – Dominic 2 – Jonty 1 – Aaron 1 – Tom Davies 1 – Tom Hinks 1 – Max 1 – conversions Aaron 8)

Whilst we seem to live in a very odd world at the moment, thank goodness we have Rugby on a Sunday morning, for two hours a week the world of Trump, Clinton, Brexit and the rest of the craziness is left behind, and we can lose ourselves in greatest game on earth.
So to Oswestry Rugby Club at Park Hall, once home to 21,000 troops in the first war and home to units from the Royal Artillery until 1968. I have a very strong connection with the site, as it was at a Royal Artillery Ball in 1959 that my parents met, as Dad was serving at the camp at the time, and having lived all over the world, they now live just outside the gates of the camp today.
The morning had started crisp and clear but rain clouds came over just before the game, so it was cold a grim start to the game, and a real reminder of winters arrival.
The game was also the first game to overseen by Fred Wild, who has qualified as a referee, so it was a big day for the young man with the whistle.
From the start Shrewsbury were on their game and just two minutes into the game and following a line out, Pascal picked up the ball and made a dash for the line from within our own half, he brushed off two Oswestry backs to make the line and set Aaron up for his first of 8 conversions. Not sure what Pascal has been eating but whatever it is, it means he can hit the gas and go and no one was going to catch him.
Rohan made a huge hit to set up the backs and the ball went through the line to Ben Proctor to score shortly afterwards in the corner. 12 nil after 5 minutes
All the players were contributing, John took a great catch from the restart and again all the passion was ours.
Pascal pinched the ball and set up a great try from the breakdown all the way through the hands this time to other wing and to the spritely Finn Livingstone.
Oswestry then started to get back into the game and had ten very good minutes before the half time with Jonty and Oli Ryan stopping two tries by holding up the ball, but they did score and convert just before the break, and they deserved it.
Into the second period, the wind and slope now in our favour, Sam on as scrum half was very quick to get the ball out of the scrum which went out Aaron who made a lovely side step to make twenty metres and nearly set up Finn for second, but he was bundled into touch just short.
Shortly afterwards Shrewsbury won a scrum and the ball was hooked back to new boy Connor who made the solo journey straight through their defence to score the most popular try of the day, the young lad from Westbury is making his mark in the team.
Tom Davies was next nearly getting home, but he set up a try from Dom to score his first of two he would get today.
The best try of the day came next set up by Jonty, but the ball was moved around the backs brilliantly and Jonty came back into the phase to score a great effort.

Aaron was next, he was kicking like a dream but he wanted in on the try action so he dove over from short range between the posts, he converted his own score and that was the end of the second period. 45 – 7
The third period followed the same pattern, the local side looked tired and with few reserves to call on they looked down, and when you’re tired you don’t need Ben Harper running at you at full pace, so a score from the re-start was the result
Oli Ryan set up the next one, with one of his trade mark drives, he goes under them I think, he set up Dom who now scores on a regular basis as he is always in the right place when the forwards are needed.
Pascal scored the full length of the pitch to score, he should not, be he did (you’re a forward!! You’re supposed to have a lie down after a 5 metre jog)
Another great play by the forwards set up new boy Jack to score a lovely try and he ran over the line on the wing but made it round to touch down between the posts to set up Aaron.
Max put the lid on it with a great try running from the right of the pitch to score in the left and that was that.
Phew, my hand was aching with so much rugby to try and record.
The boys are still on 100% record and look better every week, I don’t want to tempt fate at all because the winning is not the main thing for me, its watching them develop, and boy are they developing well

Well done lads, Pascal you’re a forward!! And you’re giving the forward Union a bad name.

And well done Fred who refereed the game brilliantly

P