By Alan Poole, Coventry Telegraph.
March 26 2015

Old Laurentians survived another rash of injuries and an admirably spirited challenge from their relegation-zone hosts to collect a 25-8 win at Leamington that maintained their technical lead over Newbold on Avon.

Leamington produced some of their best attacking form of the season to stretch OLs in the first half and despite falling behind to Lee Hersey’s penalty they claimed the interval edge when Patch Northover’s break enabled winger Ryan Byrne to power over the line.

Suitably stung, OLs cut loose straight from the restart, Troy Owen collecting Iain Wallis’s clever pass for a try upgraded by Hersey before James Orbinson reacted to a misplaced Spa lineout to dart through.

Nathan Earland’s penalty briefly interrupted the OLs flow but they manoeuvred two opportunities for Hersey to round off his personal contribution and secure the bonus point.

Injuries to Paul Willis – who looks set to miss the last two matches of the season – Ben Scott, Dan O’Brien and Grant Inch took the gloss off the occasion for OLs who face a tricky Fenley Field date against Malvern on Saturday before their April 11 showdown at Parkfield Road.

Newbold on Avon will warm up for that epic encounter with a trip to Old Coventrians – beaten 43-17 at Malvern last weekend as Bold were demolishing Nuneaton Old Edwardians.

The official scoreline for that one was 67-0, although Newbold reckon that the referee short-changed them to the tune of five points.

All parties agree that the four-try bonus was in the bag by half-time courtesy of Declan George, Joss Andrews, Danny Facer and Micky Pails, the first three upgraded by Lloyd Warner for a 26-0 lead.

And, according the resident statisticians, Andrews completed a hat-trick after the interval with Ethan Wookey, Phil Reed, Rich Allen, Warner and Tom Grimmett also crossing while Warner weighed in with five more conversions.

An Old Coventrians side featuring four debutants were always playing catch-up at Malvern, shipping 29 points before getting on the board just before half-time as Sam Pearson touched down from a lineout drive.

The deficit had swollen to 43-5 on the hour, but OCs’ persistence was rewarded as Mike Morris, Sam Pearson and Phil Twaite made good progress before Alex Telfer whipped the telling pass to Matty Fielder. Telfer’s conversion attempt hit the woodwork but he was left with a simple kick when Franc Johnson picked up inside his own 25 and sprinted clear to the posts.

Barkers Butts took a massive step towards mid-table security when they triumphed 22-17 at Stratford Upon Avon.

The Coventry outfit survived a couple of close shaves before taking the lead, working their way upfield for Jared Whitburn to snap up a try converted by Josh Knight.

And although the hosts retaliated with a converted try and a penalty, desperate defence thwarted two more incursions over the line and Barkers took a 14-10 lead into the interval when a searing break by Tom Stokes set up a maul which enabled Brad Mills and Jack Howland to send Knight through for a try complemented by a brilliant conversion.

That became 19-10 as Mills and Howland again provided the link play in a move started and finished by Whitburn. And although Stratford closed the gap to 19-17, Mills spearheaded a forwards assault that yielded a Knight penalty and Barkers defended superbly to survive the final quarter – three times holding up the ball over the line – for a precious decision.

Old Leamingtonians warmed up for Saturday’s relegation dogfight against their town rivals by gleaning a bonus point from their 13-7 defeat at Droitwich – another solid all-round performance again undermined by a lack of finishing power.

Trailing 3-0 at the break and conceding a second penalty soon after the restart, they nudged ahead when Keiran O’Connor sprinted 60 metres to the home posts and Bradley James added the extras.

Further pressure was thwarted by a combination of stout Droitwich defence, unforced errors and at least one contentious decision, and it was the home team that showed how it should be done as a rare counter-attack produced a pushover try which leaves OLs stranded at the foot of the table.

Nuneaton tuned up for their last-throw National Three play-off clash against Hinckley by piling up ten tries to see off bottom club Dudley Kingswinford 69-10.

Joe Wilson’s early penalty set the stage for a 29-3 interval scoreline, Luke Wakefield, Wilson, Huw Thomas and Joe Sagoe supplying the tries and Wilson adding three conversions to swamp Jamie Hearn’s penalty for the visitors.

Wilson upped his conversion haul to eight after the break as Thomas completed a hat-trick with Kiwi Steve Honey striking twice and forcing a penalty try while Knight crossed before collecting a yellow card for an aerial assault.

Elliot Brown also spent time in the sin-bin for an over-enthusiastic challenge while Dudley were rewarded for their never-say-die spirit with a late Tony Gordon touchline converted by Hearn.

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