OORUFC Match Report
16th November 2024
Wheatley Hills 19 vs 39 OORUFC
Ensians put a stop to Wheatley’s winning streak
Last Saturday Old Otliensians travelled to Doncaster to face Wheatley Hills. Hill’s were buoyant having won their last four league matches and started the game with an unsustainable fervour. From the whistle they caught their own kick, and pressured the tourists for several minutes. The blues tackled well and resisted their advances. Prop George Martin made his mark early on, with some powerful scrummaging dominating his opposite man, and on more than one occasion forcing a penalty.
On the 15 minute mark winger Will Howarth dashed down the wing to the half way line before nr 8 Jay Walsh continued the charge. A penalty to Ensians gave Jake Bentley a chance to kick for touch. With a line out on the 22, Ensians saw Wheatley’s line for the first time in the match.
The home side couldn’t resist the barrage of short phases from Ensians, and lost composure. On the third penalty Walsh took a quick tap and almost made it to the line. Luckily second rower, Ali Campbell was on hand to pick up and squirm his way through the melee to score. Bentley added the extra 2, giving Ensians the lead.
Otliensians kept up the momentum following the restart. Full back Spencer Wood was on fine form, taking every kick with ease and clearing up messy situations with a cool head.
With a scrum on the half way, stand off Ollie Eaves passed wide to Jake Bentley who passed wide again to the wing. Haworth did well juggling the ball mid flight, before gathering and scorching down the wing. He beat two men to score and increase the lead to 0:12.
From the restart flanker Noel Gillson supported by Jay Walsh made some excellent ground, but Hills tackled well, and turned over the ball before kicking long. Spencer Wood made the catch of the season with a sliding take, and in the same motion popped the ball up to Will Cooper in support. This started the phase of play that would lead to Ensians next score. George Martin continued the attack before being dangerously high tackled. Martin might not have noticed the foul, but the referee certainly did, and yellow carded Wheatleys towering second row, as well as warning their captain the fouls had to stop. Another kick for the corner gave the blues a line out just 7m from the whitewash. Wheatley couldn’t contain their frustration and suffered another yellow card, this time for punching. Wheatley did well to resist the repeated forward attacks. The impasse was broken when Jake Bentley passed wide, missing two men, out to Isaac Gillson on the right wing. Gillson cruised into the corner to score. Again the conversion was too challenging for Bentley, but the lead was more convincing now at 17 nil.
At 30 minutes, a scrum on the half way line, gave nr 8 Jay Walsh an opportunity to make some ground as he set off on a lolloping run supported by scrum half Harry Bentley. Good yards were made, only to be lost when Wheatley won a scrum and cleared long. Following the line out Ensians passed down the line, but ran out of space. The forwards in support brought play back into the centre of the field, giving the backs the option of taking play blind or open. With more men still on the left, Harry Bentley decided to go left out to Jake Bentley, who broke through. With men in support it looked like the ball would continue left, but a pop to the right gave Harry Bentley an easy run in to score. A more favourable position for the kick, gave Jake the extra two and increased the lead to 24 nil.
Moments before the end of the half, Wheatley scored a super try. With a penalty advantage at the scrum, their scrum half jinked through the line, before passing to his two centres in support. With a two man overlap the score was a formality.
Wheatley came out strong in the second half and didn’t give away possession until they were rewarded with a try. After two penalties the home side opted for a scrum 5m out, and successfully drove over to score and convert, narrowing their deficit to an uncomfortable 12 points.
For the next 15 minutes the game ebbed and flowed with little advantage, until on the seventieth minute Spencer Wood in a mid air catch was taken down maliciously. No card, but at least a penalty. Jake kicked well and increase the score to 12:27. Otliensians had to focus and put their bodies on the line, as Hill’s turned up the heat desperate for another score.
Following a super break from Wood, another high tackle penalty on the 83rd minute gave Ensians the chance to push back. With the ball in his right hand, Jay Walsh galloped through the opposition before passing the ball out to winger Will Haworth in support to finish. Again the conversion from the outer margins wasn’t to be.
With only 5 minutes left the home team’s fate was inevitable, but they valiantly gave it their all and were rewarded with another converted try. In the dying moments of injury time, Jake Bentley made another break through the line before passing out to Jay Walsh. With no way through the ball was quickly gathered by utility man Ethane Heade to take the closing points of the match. Closing the score at 19:39.
All in all a convincing win against a side that struggled with consistency. Otliensians controlled the game well, and importantly settled things down when the tempo was a little too high. This win pushes Ensians up to third place.
This weekend Otliensians face local rivals West Park Leeds in the quarter final of the Yorkshire Silver Trophy. KO 2pm at Chaffers Field.
Report - Ben Ritson & Photos - John Eaves.