Sat 20 Nov 2021, 14:30
On a day when the large majority of the backs were either injured or unavailable, it would be a lie to say there weren't some nerves in the air when the team was announced. A loose-head playing 12, with an injury prone surfer to partner him at 13. A scrum half on the wing and a retired former front rower covering 9-15 on the bench, marvellous!
Things didn't start too well for Witney, with Trowbridge having the majority of the possession for the first 30 minutes and were good value for their 0-9 lead, going in to the last 10 minutes of the half. Having very little ball, losing two actual backs to hamstring pulls and then having a replacement yellow carded for a dangerous tackle, meant that all in all, it wasn't our finest 30 minutes of rugby. But yet, for whatever reason, their seemed to be air of calmness, and after a little chat behind the sticks as Trowbridge went 0-9 up, Witney started to find their straps and managed to play a little keep ball of their own. This possession lead to a scrum close to the Trowbridge line, from which the forwards produced a thing of beauty to shunt the Trowbridge pack in to reverse, with number 8, Matt Tibbatts, dotting down. Conversion missed.
With that injection of confidence, Witney went on the attack, pinning Trowbridge back inside their 22 and playing some direct rugby. After several drives for the line, which were well defended by Trowbridge, the ball came back down the blindside where Marcus Reading delivered a sumptuous pass, cutting out several players & any remaining defenders, to find wing Ollie Dawkins who was able to dive in at the corner. Conversion missed.
Half time 10 - 9
The second half started much like the first half did, with Trowbridge playing some great rugby and stretching the Witney defence on several occasions. Trowbridge earned themselves a penalty, after the Witney defence was stretched to breaking point, and they made no mistake with the resulting kick to retake the lead, 10 - 12.
The theme of Trowbridge keeping the ball and testing the Witney defence continued well in to the second with Witney fortunate on several occassions to not go further behind, had some of the passes either stuck or been given, when Trowbridge got in behind us by exploiting our rather robust midfield. Witney seemed to take energy and confidence from these mistakes and started to wrestle the possesion back in their favour, utilising the kicking game of Ollie Brian to full affect. As Witney started to edge themselves up the field, they also started to pick off some of the Trowbridge line out ball, giving us good field position. After a penalty at the ruck, for a Trowbridge player not rolling away, Ollie Brian found touch close to the Trowbridge line. After the initial Witney maul was well holted by Trowbridge, a series of close quarter carries ensued with Matt Tibbatts the man to finally bundle over, to collect his second of the match. Ollie Brian successfully added the extra's. 17 - 12
Witney, with their tales up, went on search of a fourth try and a bonus point, with 10 minutes left on the clock. The Hailey Road faithful didn't have to wait long for the fourth try with hooker James Merriman benefiting from some excellent play close to the Trowbridge line. Ollie Brian again added the extra's to make it 24 - 12.
Was their time for one more......of course there was! Fittingly, in came through fly half Ollie Brian who darted down the blind down, grubbered the ball between the defenders, before collecting the bouncing the ball and sliding over in the corner for a very well deserved try. Conversion missed.
Full time 29 - 12
