Blues 38 v 12 Warwick

Tries: Rathbone 2, Calver, Hazeldine, Pentecost, Wilson, Williets

Goals: Williets 5

This week the Blues ventured north to take on a Warwick: a team that had edged past the Brookes side the Blues has struggled against two weeks prior. Thankfully, the Oxford boys had not caught the highly contagious Notwantingititis that had plagued the Tabs last Wednesday, coming out 38-12 winners in a game that can only be described as rugby league. The game commenced with A Comedy of Errors that would have many a local literary superstar proud. Knock-ons galore allowed the Warwick number six to pepper debut Deano with high balls that he was more than comfortable in dealing with. In fact, so comfortable were the Oxford back three that the whole side opted to stay in their own half for the first 30 minutes whilst Warwick took the age-old advices of scooting more. When the 13 navy shirts finally advanced into the other half of the pitch, Connor Williets felt so uncomfortable that he opted to illegally rip the ball in the tackle so that he could return to the comfort of frantic goal line defence. Garcon Wilson eventually broke the deadlock with some deft footwork worthy of his 12.5% surcharge, opening the floodgates and ending the repetitive calls of “minute for X” from Captain Roper (looking rather fetching in his number 13 shirt). Sven bundled over a face ball to double the lead, keeping the Bullfighters two scores to the good as they trotted into the sheds.

The second (and final) 40 started with the Warwick kick off exposing Allan McCance for the little man that he is, winning the ball back in the air and putting their first points on the scoreboard. More pressure from the Warwick attack, heaped on further by a lack of discipline in the tackle by the skipper and super sub Rich Calver, was eventually relieved by Felix Rathbone running into (rather than under) the Warwick posts having set off from his own half. So amused was temporary touch judge Edward William Alexander Harris by this that he forgot to get himself behind the sticks to watch another or Williets conversions sail over. Another try for Rathbone (setting off from even deeper in his own half), as well as scores for Deano, Wiliets, and Calver gave the Blues strong scoreboard position as the clock took the game further away from the Warwick Warriors.

Finding things a little too easy for his liking, Sven Pemberton decided to get himself sin binned for a tackle that was supposedly worse than the dump tackle the author had nothing to do with earlier in the game. Without having his fellow rock in defence on the field, Harris felt a little lost and became thoroughly baffled as the Warwick attack walked past his outstretched arms and over the goal line. Luckily the Blues were well clear of Warwick’s total as a rather uninteresting grubber into touch brought the game to an end.

To celebrate their undefeated Michaelmas, the boys stopped off at the Banbury branch of future club sponsor Toby Carvery, and who can blame them for doing so! At the Home of the Roast, the scholarly men of OURLFC were able to enjoy a range of meats, Toby’s famous ruffled roasties, beef dripping roasties, a selection of seasonal veg, and of course Toby’s wonderfully Wonky Yorkies. With such a wonderful spread available for such an agreeable price, it was no wonder that everyone involved had a nice time. Tune in next week when the Blues take on the men from Brum
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vd1zxHJkco).