Rugby Union:
OLs impress in defeat against high-flyers

Old Laurentians 6 Burton 10

Midlands One West

HIGH-FLYING Burton were pushed all the way by OLs on Saturday but just about held on to protect their proud record of having lost just once all season.

The visitors took a fifth minute lead through a penalty when OLs were penalised for not releasing but the hosts soon went on the offensive and retained the ball impressively courtesy of Joe Shore, Marc Eagles and Ben Wiles. Their pressure eventually led to a penalty which Jon Bean kicked.

Bean set up the next score with a towering penalty deep into opposition territory from which Burton were penalised following clean OLs possession at a line-out. Bean kicked that next penalty through the uprights to give his side a 6-3 lead.

A spell of Burton pressure followed when they began to bring a dangerous looking back line into play but strong defence kept them out until the 37th minute when a poor defensive kick gave the visitors a chance to run the ball back, the move completed by Knight with a try, converted by Banton.

Bean intercepted a pass with a clear field ahead but somehow Burton’s Joe Briggs, for whom the pass was intended, reacted very quickly and sunk him in a crunching tackle.

The crucial moment in the game came on the stroke of half time when a Burton attack broke down deep in OLs’ territory, the ball went loose and Troy Owen hacked it on. OLs’ wing was winning the race for the touchdown when the ball bounced unkindly at the posts and the only Burton defender back got a boot to it and kicked it dead. Had Owen reached it first, OLs would have gone into the break with the lead.

The second half was played out to a pattern of ever increasing Laurentian pressure, Burton still looking dangerous on the counter but contained by some fine defence.

The line-out was functioning well, Paul Willis and Ben Anderson ensuring OLs at least parity in this phase, and OLs won the scrummage battle, hooker Dom Hammond taking three against the head.

Richard Parker at scrum half had a fine match, frequently spoiling around the base of the scrum and largely neutralising his opposite number.

As OLs racked up the pressure in the final quarter, Willis got over the line for what looked like a try, to be denied by the referee who only saw a Burton arm that had got under the ball after it had been touched down; and Owen got away to touch down in the corner, but OLs were penalised for crossing.

Glenn Todd was welcomed back into the team at number eight and turned in another typically robust performance that made him the choice of the Burton coaching team as OLs’ man of the match.

A scoreless second half ended with OLs battering away at the Burton line but ultimately failing to turn their pressure into points and having to accept the consolation of a losing bonus point.

More like this and OLs should begin to climb the table, although another tough task awaits them on Saturday when they visit third placed Hereford.

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