Banbury RUFC fell to a 42-18 defeat on the road at Lutterworth, with a late flurry of tries from the hosts deciding a tightly contested first hour. The game began with a poignant minute’s silence to remember Jenny Bosley, a cherished figure in the rugby community.

First Half:
Lutterworth opened the scoring after sustained pressure from Banbury’s early penalties. A try from close range, converted, put the hosts 7-0 up. Banbury responded through the boot of Ollie Nicholl, who slotted two penalties following a 60m break and a Lutterworth high tackle, bringing the score to 7-6.

However, a misthrown lineout in Banbury’s 22 allowed Lutterworth to pounce and score again, extending their lead to 14-6 at halftime. The Bulls had enjoyed patches of territory and possession but were unable to convert opportunities into points.

Second Half:
The hosts struck early after the break with a well-worked try from fly-half and full-back interplay, converted to take the score to 21-6. Banbury responded through Ollie Nicholl, who touched down from close range following a strong clearout, converted to narrow the gap to 21-13.

A yellow card for Lutterworth for a tip tackle offered the Bulls a further opportunity, which they seized through Matty Thomas, diving over in the corner. The conversion was missed, leaving Banbury just three points behind at 21-18.

From this point, Lutterworth’s class showed. The hosts scored three further tries, one from a clever full-back break, another from an interception, and a final score from the forwards, pulling away to a convincing 42-18 win.

Banbury matched Lutterworth for large periods, showing fight and ingenuity, particularly through Ollie Nicholl and Matty Thomas. However, errors and lapses in defence in the final 20 minutes proved costly. With lessons learned, the Bulls will look to regroup for their away trip to Stourbridge next weekend.

Final Score: Lutterworth 42-18 Banbury RUFC