Match report Bicester v Wallingford - 15 March

Bicester 32 v Wallingford 0

Wallingford proved to be strong opposition, their defence was very good and they threatened to score on a number of occasions. Bicester put in a good whole team performance with committed tackling and well executed tries to secure victory.

Bicester started brightly again taking the game to Wallingford and building patiently. Having worked calmly through several phases of forwards play, they spun the ball out wide through good hands for Tim Price to open the scoring. Unfortunately Tim hurt his leg in the act of scoring and took no further part in the game.

Wallingford reacted well, the next 10 minutes being end to end play, and had chances to pull back putting their hosts under pressure with their kicking game.

Oliver Cassidy had a couple of good carries into their 22, unfortunately the final pass to Tom Burrell on the overlap going astray on both occasions. Tom made a break himself down the left flank but checked his run when perhaps he should have gone for the corner. Bicester again attacked down the left, were stopped short but Wallingford were penalised for a high tackle. Mats Venning picked out Jordan Hirons as the runner who buried in low for a well executed try.

Wallingford continued to test Bicesters backs with kick and chase, but when Callum McCulloch returned one breaking the line, he found Antony Iveson at pace who took the ball on across the halfway line, Ollie Cass took it on and found Henry in support who burst for the left hand corner, great cover defence forced him to pass inside just before being forced into touch, Wallingford knocked on and James Grosvenor reacted quickly to pick up the loose ball and find the gap for a try. HT: 15-0

The second half saw Wallingford understandably tire due to the amount of defensive work they had put in, Bicester improved their rucking and raised the pace of attack as the gaps opened up putting on some entertaining running rugby.

Quick ball was fed out to Harry Court who raced to the corner and looked certain to score but for a creditable cover tackle with the Wallingford player doing well to get under him and the ball. Bicester scored from the 5m scrum that followed with Henry on the crashball taking them within a couple of metres short and offloading to James Grosvenor who crossed for his second try converted by Callum McC.

A decisive break for the corner was again well defended as Henry was slammed into touch. Soon after James Nellis took a 5m scrum against the head, James G picked up at the back to feed Henry out wide who stepped through the gap to score.

Bicester’s last try was a cracker, another good break from Henry who fixed the last defender with a nicely delayed pass to Harry Court on the perfect support line to form the overlap and score.

Late and spirited efforts by Wallingford were thwarted first by a good tackle on the wing by Mats, followed by a try saving tackle by Chris Nourse in the dying seconds to put the Wallingford player into touch and keep the clean sheet.


Try Scorers: Tim Price, Jordan Hirons, James Grosvenor (2), Henry Gayler and Harry Court

Conversion: Callum McCulloch

Players Man of Match: Henry Gayler

Coaches Man of Match: Henry Gayler