Last play heart break!

Kick off, and Old Wheatleyans receive well, with safe hands, Old Leamingtonians pile on the pressure early on, but possession is retained and the ball is kicked clear and deep into the opposition half by fly-half Gareth Windsor

After 5 minutes Old Leamingtonians break from a line out deep within their own half, spreading the Old Wheat’s defence 1st score to the visitors.
Unable to make the conversion 0-5.

Old Leamingtonians retain possession from the restart and Joshua White makes a superb try saving tackle, forcing the Old Leamingtonians winger into touch.

10 minute in and Leam’s win a scrum on the Old Wheat’s 10 metre line and play phase after phase of crash ball eventually landing in the far left hand side.
Again, unable to make the conversion 0-10 to the visitors.

After conceding a second try Old Wheat’s stepped up a gear, putting Leam’s under tremendous pressure, forcing errors and winning turnover ball, Leam’s were noticeably shaken by the change in tempo from Old Wheat’s.

A clever Grubber through by Joe Boyle forced a line out for Wheats near the Leams 10 metre line. Dominant display by Dean Beauchamp at the line out insured Old Wheats retained possession, employing a pick and drive style attack after the ensuing maul, Wheats piled on the pressure and were unluckily held up by by a clambering Leams defence.

A scrum to the opposition on their own 22 metre line was dominated by Old Wheats, forcing a penalty for collapsing the scrum.

Scrum penalty to Old Wheats on 5m line allowed for some innovative play with Number 8 Ben Craig pop passing to his scrum half Oliver Thorpe. Phases after phase brought play out the left wing and the pressure mounting Leams flanker Thomas Smith was sent to the sinbin for playing the ball on the ground during the breakdown just yards from his own try line.

Immediately Old Wheats made the extra man count, after opting or the scrum in the subsequent penalty, prop Liam McCrea drove hard and low crashing over the opposition line.
The try was converted by fullback Joseph Boyle to make it 7-10

With a spring in their step and an extra man on the field Old Wheats continued their comeback, with Oliver Thrope orchestrating the backline and outstanding handling from fly-half Gareth Windsor the backs broke free and were unlucky not to score again in quick succession after a spirited kick and chase into space, but the ball just passed the dead ball line.

Old Leamingtonians ill-discipline continued after the referee had to speak to their players in relation to their lack of binding at the breakdown. Flanker Thomas Smith returned after serving his time in the bin, but Leams were not at full strength for long as Number 8 Samuel Brittain was shown a yellow card for his failure to bind at the breakdown.

Following Brittain’s infringement Wheats opted for a crack at three points, the kick landing just to the left of the posts.

The first half saw Old Wheatleyans dominate possession, with the majority of the action being played in the Leamingtonians half. Beating Leams at the breakdown, lineouts and scrums, but just lacked a sense of clinical finishing ability in the final third.
Ill-Discipline cost Leams territory and possession but looked threatening each time they had ball in hand.

Half Time Score: Old Wheatleyans 7
Old Leamingtonians 10

During the interval Ben Hands (17) was brought on for Ian Hunt (6) , Jack Langley (16) was brought on for Richard Saunders (1) and Dan Brookes (18) was subbed on for John Hayes (13).

Second Half:

Old Wheatleyans kick to the opposition and immediately make their presence known, chasing the ball, momentarily retaining possession but unfortunately knocking it forward near the opposition 22 metre line.

Wheats gave away an uncharacteristic penalty at the 50 minute mark for not releasing in in the tackle just short of the halfway line, Leamingtonians opt for the line-out and after a questionable ‘truck & trailer’ manoeuvre they scored.
A difficult kick right at the side line and again the visitors were unable to convert the try.
7-15 to Old Leamingtonians.
After being subbed on at half time Dan Brookes asked a lot of questions of the Leam’s defence, probing them at every opportunity and was unlucky himself not to score following an outstanding kick into space, saved by a last ditch tackle from the Leam’s fullback Jason Hobman.

Leamingtonians set piece woes continued, after a knock on by fly-half James Bradley, Old Wheatleyans were awarded a scrum on their own 10 metre line. With scrum half Oliver Thrope providing quick ball to the back line, Wheats attacked with vigor and ferocity allowing Ben Craig to score right next to the posts, a straight forward enough conversion opportunity was successfully executed by fullback Joseph Boyle.
Bringing the scores to within a point of each other with 56 minutes played.
Old Wheatleyans 14
Old Leamingtonians 15

Number 8 Ben Craig had a remarkable game at the breakdown, the Leamingtonian could not live with him, as he secured turn over ball and forced penalties.
This allowed Old Wheats to kick for line-outs, which they made no mistake in retaining possession from. An uncontested maul after a lineout on the opposition’s 5 meter line drove the home team over the line, try scored by flanker Joshua Waring and converted by fullback Joe Boyle.
Old Wheats were ahead on the scoreboard for the first time in the game and showed no signs of letting up.
Old Wheatleyans 21
Old Leamingtonians 15

60 minutes in and Old Leams mount a comeback of their own, setting up camp in the Old Wheatleyans’ half, but again ill-discipline was their downfall, as they gave away a penalty for holding on to the ball after a tackle.

Dan Brookes was unlucky not to score after slicing straight through the Old Leams defence like a hot knife through butter, stopped only by an excellent try-saving tackle by centre Thomas Eales.

The visitors, seeing that time was running out mounted attack after attack, with courageous defence by Wheatleyans, unmovable at times, which just added to the Old Leams frustration, which resulted in handing errors, rushed decisions and ultimately turnover ball.

Scrumhalf Oliver Thrope, who put in a commanding performance was knocked by injury 5 minutes from time and had to be replaced by John Hayes

In the dying moments of the game the visitors won a lineout near to Old Wheatleyans 22 metre line and rush the ball to their backline, surging forward the ball is passed out to the wings, after a Wheats infringement at the breakdown Leams get the advantage and drive over the line, setting up a straightforward conversion.

The crowd and players waited on baited breath as The Old Leamingtonian kicker lined up for the conversion, making no mistake the ball is sent straight between the posts.

Final Score: Old Wheatleyans 21
Old Leamingtonians 22

After the match Coach Matt Cappell had this to say:

Q: Matt how did you think the team played today?

A: ‘For 60 minutes they couldn’t touch us, they had the first quarter of the game and we let them have a 10 point lead and it’s criminal. We’ve done that in our last two games now. We fought our way back into the game and then we excelled, after half time we put the foot down and we really played well so the team’s performance for 60 minutes was spot on.and then one minute at the end (we were) just a bit slack but it’s just one of those days.

Q: You were dominant in both the lineouts and scrums throughout the game, have set peices been something you’ve placed a particular focus on lately?

A: ‘With the forwards we have, our scrum is naturally good, we have a massively solid front row and line out jumpers, when they're all here it gives us so many options. So they’re just good professionals and they do their job and I said to them before the match if they beat their man individually, we’ll win the game.

Q: In your opinion were there any stand-out performances today?

A: Oh yeah, Oliver Breeden on the wing, He played flanker last week, had to move him to the wing today as I knew Old Leamingtonians would attack out wide reading the match report, put him on the wing to make the tackles and he excelled. He chased kicks offs, every kick off he got there, stopped them in their tracks and allowed the forwards to carry on.
Ben Hands came on for forty minutes and hit like a brick wall. Dan Brookes, he resembled Henry Slade with some of his handling ability today, hasn’t played for 14 months and put in a shift today.
Everyone put a shift in and they should all be proud. Two debuts today adding to the four already over the season, Steven Pahal made his debut today, Dan Brookes is like a debutant today after 14 months out.
We got a Stags team out for the first time this season, which was massive effort and I want to pat every one of them on the back today, and Joe Bristowe for chasing players in the week to get player on the pitch today for our VP’s Day.
Just need to make training, if we make training and put it right (our mistakes) today, we will do teams like that in the future.

Q: There were a lot of positives to take from today's match, what do you think you need to do moving forward for next week’s game?

A: Hopefully, consistency to be fair, if I can put the same names on that team sheet next week we’ll grow, that’s what is killing us at the minutes, the four to five players not being here though injury or personal circumstances . If we can get some consistency, work on our ball retention then we will be able to beat Any team in the league !

Match photos are here

Report by David Aston who is studying Journalism at College and this is his first attempt at reporting for a sporting event. Thank you David!