Sat 23 Mar 2019
OLD CENTRALIANS 59 - 14 WITNEY
Little wind and no sun at Gloucester where Witney were playing Old Cents. Over the seasons these two clubs had played entertaining rugby, often with close results and Witney were unfortunate to be "pipped at the post" in the game at Witney. Cents are 2nd in the league and Witney are down at the other end. The Witney support, mainly Dads and Mums, were not too confident of a victory.
Witney kicked off down the significant slope. The chasers were quickly up and tapped the ball back and Witney were immediately threatening the Line in Cents' 22. FH Ted Landray chipped over the top for the LW but Cents gathered and touched down.
(8 mins) Witney managed to stop a Cents attack, after Cents had had a huge overlap, by getting a hand under the ball and the referee signalling "held up". Captain and Centre Matt Clarke put in a huge tackle forcing his opposite number to throw forward. Witney took the ball to Cents 22 where they had a Penalty Lineout, which was lost. Cents ran the ball out and gave it to their very fast, tricky RW, G. Bvuma, who ran 60m to score under the posts. FH W.Mulhurn converting. 7 - 0
(10mins)Cents ran the restart back at Witney and forceful running by No8, T. Wilcox had him crossing the Line, under the Posts. Mulhurn converting. 14 - 0
(13 mins)The tricky Bvuma's 2nd Try, under the Posts. Mulhurn converting. 21 - 0
(18 mins)Cents interfered with the catcher in a Penalty Lineout on their 22. then from the Penalty Lineout on the 5m. Witney set up a strong Maul which moved forwards and infield, crossed the Line, Prop Dan Wakeman Touching down, Landray converting. 21 = 7
(26 mins) Cents ,RW, R Hannaford scored a pacy Try, down his wing. 26 - 7
(27 mins)Witney made another catch from their restart and spun the ball left advancing to 30m out. Then Captain Clarke sidestepping off both feet and brushing off tacklers, broke through and scored under the Posts. Landray converting. 26 - 14
Witney held off more attacks until the 38th minute when Flanker, R Townsand scored for Cents, Mulhurn converting. 33 - 14
Half Time
Witney had played in the Cents' Half for a good proportion of the 1st Half but when Cents got the ball Witney could not contain the Cents hard running and close support play.
Three Witney substitutions made.
Cents kicked off the 2nd Half and Witney playing up the slope kept Cents in their Half, for the first nine minutes, until a Cents Penalty. There was then a Cents scrum on the 22. Their FB, L May running diagonally behind the scrum, took a clever pass and scored, Mulhurn converting. 40 - 14
(14 mins) Hannaford's 2nd Try, converted by Mulhurn. 47 - 14
(19 mins)Bvuma's hat trick. 52 - 14
(30 mins)Again, the game had been played mainly in Cents' Half with them holding Witney out and them making the occasional foray into Witney's Half. At this point there was an exciting race, neck and neck, for a long Cents' grubber kick, between the speedy Bvuma and Witney FB, Tom Gaffney, which Gaffney won,making a sliding fall on the ball,at the end of the race. However one minute later there was a Cents scrum in front of Witney's posts and May got his 2nd Try, converted by Mulhurn. 59 - 14
The game ended as Witney after swift passing along the Backs and then many Ruck Pick & Drives, got over the Try Line but were "held up". Witney knocked on after the Scrum. No Side
The players in the Witney team gave their all, but Cents were just too good.
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