Nuneaton 48 Olney 28

The Nuns stretched their winning run to eight bonus point wins with a seven try showing over Olney. Try scorers where Augy Clarke, George Wallis, Todd Bullions, Travis Bennett-Allcock and a Joe Wilson hat trick. Lucas Brindley was successful with 5 conversions and a penalty kick to finish with a final score of 48-28.

There was a late change to the pack with James Lloyd with drawing which saw Wallis start on the back row and Toby Dearden come on to the bench. The backline saw Max Carter start at scrum half and Ryan Preston come back into the centre with Bennett-Allcock back on the wing.

The Nuns started in the ascendancy and Wilson was pushing the ball long using the breeze behind him to keep the visitors penned deep in their half. On 6 minutes, an Eales miss pass saw Wilson slip outside his man on the 10m and then scorch through before stepping the full back to score towards the post with Brindley adding the extras, 7-0.

This soon became 14-0 when on 10minutes after a penalty was awarded 5m out the Nuns chose the scrum. Whilst on the front foot Wood picked up and although he thought he’d scored, Wallis was awarded the try with a second grounding which Brindley again upgraded.
However, like when the two sides met earlier in the season Olney came back. A knock on from the kick off gave them a scrum just in the Nuns 22m. The ball was recycled a couple of times and then they crossed in the corner for a converted try bringing the score to 14-7 after 13 minutes.

The Nuns were not in any mood to let up though and on 20 minutes Wilson grabbed his second. After some front foot ball and with the referee playing advantage, Carter popped an inside ball from a ruck to the on rushing Wilson to score under the posts leaving Brindley with a simple conversion, 21-7.

Olney weren’t going to give up though and they continued to battle away. They get the second try on 27 minutes after gaining territory through a penalty to touch; they worked the ball forward and then wrestled over from a ruck for a converted try, 21-14.

The Nuns hit back though with two tries in quick succession.

On 35 minutes, a penalty was awarded and sent to the corner. With lineout ball secured the pack trundled forwards across the line with Clarke getting the touchdown and Brindley adding the conversion.

Then on 38 minutes the lead was further extended. A fumbled ball on the Nuneaton 10m by Olney was gathered by Bennett-Allcock and after beating the first defender he showed a clean pair of heels to race away for another 7 points, 35-14.

But it was Olney who had the last say of the half with another converted try. After a catch and drive was repelled, they still managed to wriggle over for the try to trail 35-21 at half time.

The Nuns started the second half as they did the first, with early points. From a quickly taken penalty, Dawes popped inside to Bullions who galloped in from 40ms under the posts. Unfortunately, the ball fell off the tee as Brindley approached and so the conversion was missed but the score was now 40-21 after 43 minutes.

Olney had as spell of possession and territory for the next 10 minutes and the Nuns error count didn’t allow them to relieve the pressure. On 53 minutes, from a scrum the ball was worked wide and Bullions was adjudged to have made a high tackle which resulted in a penalty try and yellow card bringing the score to 40-28 and earning him a 10 minute rest.

The next part of the game flowed from side to side with neither side adding to their points tally but the Nuns never looked stretched when down to 14 men. Even after Preston received a yellow card at the same time as Bullions returned to the field.

On 70 minutes the Nuns took the sting out of the game with a penalty to extend the lead to 43-28.

Then on 76 minutes, Wilson wrapped up his hat trick with a close range finish in the corner that was unconverted to leave the score 48-28

After the game Huw Thomas’s added “Another 5-point win for the lads which is what it’s all about at the moment. It’s a bit tricky trying to get some momentum with weeks off and poor weather but hopefully now we can focus and prepare well this week for another test coming up. Olney tested us with ball in play but our set piece gave us a key foot hold which is a real positive.”

1 Ben Holmes 2 Augy Clarke 3 Ben Dawes 4 Rudi Reid 5 Tom Aherne 6 George Wallis 7 Todd Bullions 8 Martin Wood 9 Max Carter 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Tak Chawadya 12 Tom Eales 13 Ryan Preston 14 Travis Bennett-Allcock 15 Joe Wilson; 16 James Redman 17 Nick Walton 18 Toby Dearden