OL’s continued the run of winning games with a close victory over a committed Worcester side which had to settle for a losing bonus point whilst OL’s gained a winning bonus point with a four try win achieved by playing a fast open game of rugby combining forwards and backs to keep Worcester on the defensive for most of the match and defending well whenever the visitors created space and chances.
The game opened with Worcester taking the match to OL’s and after 10 minutes of play the referee penalised OL’s for an infringement allowing Worcester to open the scoring with a long range penalty and the visitors went further ahead 10 minutes later with a converted try. This stirred OL’s and the home side began to exert pressure on the Worcester defence and a series of good inter changes of play between the forwards and backs created space for Alex Witchell to cross the goal line for the first of OL’s four tries on the day. The conversion failed. The game continued but another referee decision saw Worcester given another penalty that was converted to move Worcester further ahead. The last ten minutes of the first half saw OL’s begin to dominate the match with the forwards creating space and the half backs given time to create good flowing moves and from one sweeping move that began well from inside the OL’s half of the field James Gorvett ended the move with a well taken try. The conversion by Alex Witchell was successful and OL’s ended the half one point in arrears at 12 points to 13.
The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with OL’s having the best of the game and from strong pressure on the Worcester defence a line out was won in the left hand corner of the pitch from where a catch and drive saw Will Whetstone touch down to increase the OL’s lead. The conversion was successful. The match continued as Worcester came more into the game and as OL’s committed a number of infringements it allowed the visitors to gain ground and touch down try number two. The conversion failed but OL’s lead was reduced to one point. The game continued evenly balanced with both sides playing open rugby and it could have gone either way, but OL’s, playing fast open rugby again created the space and territory and James Gorvett finished off one flowing move involving forwards and backs to touch down try number four ten minutes from the end of the game. The try was converted. The final minutes of the game saw Worcester on the offensive and OL’s were forced to defend but time ran out for the visitors when the match official blew for the end of the game with OL’s winning 26 points to 21.
OL’s next game is away versus Ballsall and Berkswell on 22nd March with a 3.0pm kick off.