Oxford 76 – 4 Brunel

Tries: Sellers (4), Mash (2), Garbutt (2), Holland (2), Smith Smith, Lloyd, Milnthorpe, Hiscox (is bigger than yours)

Goals: Milnthorpe (10)

New year, new league. The mighty maroons were back, with a big away day to Brunel University (yes, it is a place). Boasting a side with plenty of class albeit very little experience, we were feeling quietly optimistic heading onto the pitch in scorching 23 degree heat. Although the team talk consisted mostly of Marco Hiscox and Will Milnthorpe explaining that we had to earn the right and complete before bagging meat pies, that was completely ignored 5 minutes in when a bit of flair passing down the wing led Cam Sellers in for the first points of his OURLFC career.

The rest of the first half played out in similar fashion, with the maroons completing only 1 set but scoring plenty of tries, with Alex Mash, Hugh Garbutt and Christian Holland all crossing the whitewash as well as 2 more from Sellers to complete his first half hat-trick. Brunel barely had a sniff of the ball and decided to tactically knock it on every time they saw Rob Wilson running at them in defence, with their one chance resulting in a salmon-esque leap from Dan Smith Dan Smith to intercept their probing cross field kick in dangerous territory. Lots of flair, not a lot of structure; exactly how the first game of the maroons season should be. Half time: 46-0.

The second half started of in similar fashion to the first, with big carries from Hiscox, Mash and Harry Simpson keeping Brunel on the back foot as we pushed early on. A few more tries were scored, courtesy of Hiscox, Smith Dan Smith and Milnthorpe as well as a 4th from Sellers following an outrageous lightening move which led to a 4 on 1 on the Brunel try line. However the opposition were spirited and after a few silly penalties, found themselves in unfamiliar territory on our 5 metre line. Sellers, deciding he’d rather have the dick of the day award as oppose to man of the match, thought it would be a fitting time to clothes line the opposition winger who was otherwise in for a try. A very deserved yellow card was subsequently awarded, with the home team utilising the extra man to score in the corner on the next play. However, being a player down did not mask the difference in quality of the teams, as the almighty maroons responded almost immediately with tries from Holland and Joe Lloyd rounding off a monumental win. Big win to really put our mark down in the new league. Will Brighton really want it next week? Probably not

#UpTheSalmons