Banbury Bulls welcomed Old Laurentians to Bodicote Park on Saturday, looking to build some consistent performances and turn around their lacklustre season. But Old Laurentians are currently riding high in Midlands 2 West (South) and seem to have responded to their relegation last season in a more effective manner than the home side.

This was to prove to be the case by the end of this fixture, but the majority of the first half saw the sides fairly evenly matched. OLs started brightly with a number of forays into the Banbury 22, but some stout defending and a propensity for the visitors to give away penalties at the breakdown saw the scoreboard untroubled until 16 minutes had passed.

It was to be a missed Banbury tackle on the halfway line that allowed the strong running OLs flanker to break the gainline. As the cover defence closed in, he slipped a pass to the supporting second row, Anderson, who raced to the line from a full 40 metres out! The conversion was missed, but OLs had the lead 0-5. The Bulls responded quickly and after some smart work in the midfield by lock-forward Matt Brock, winger Carl Daniels was set loose down the far touchline and into the OLs 22. When he was tackled and the ball turned over, the opportunity looked like it had gone begging for Banbury. However, the ball spilled out the back of the ensuing ruck, and Number 8 Simon Brand was quickest to respond. Seizing on the loose ball he made for the try-line and drove through the full-back’s covering tackle to score the equalising try wide out on the left. Again the conversion was missedm, but the scores were level at 5-5.

Both sides continued to probe for an opening with none forthcoming, and as the game neared halftime it seemed the two teams might go in at the break with honours even. But OLs seemed to have other plans and Banbury offered them the half-chance they needed. An aimless kick by Banbury was well-fielded by the OLs right wing who made good ground through the broken midfield defence. Good support play saw the ball shipped out to, Bayliss, the OLs left wing who kicked the ball ahead and into the Bulls try area. It was a foot race to get to the dot down and the OLs man won, giving them a 5-10 lead. And worse was to follow for the Bulls as Banbury tried to run the ball from deep following a kick through. With OLs tackles flying in, and Banbury passes going to ground it was no surprise when OLs picked up the loose ball to score again. With a successful conversion, the scoreline at half-time was not great reading for the home supporters at 5-17.

The second half started in disastrous fashion as Banbury failed to put the strong running OLs forwards down in the tackle following the restart. With quick ball presented to them, it was a simple matter of good passing along the OLs backline and sending the winger Bayliss in to score his second try, which was again converted.

Banbury responded through a penalty from Mike Smith, but OLs were gaining ascendancy and confidence. With the Bulls struggling against the OLs pack in both the tight and loose, the visitors were able to score two further unanswered tries through Number 8 Adams and scrum-half Harris. With both converted the game seemed out of sight for Banbury with ten minutes to play and the scoreline at 8-36.

Finally raising their game to the levels they know they can play at, Banbury hit back. Following some good quick ruck ball a gap opened up for Jed Boyle, and the young fly-half needed no opportunity to thread his way through the defence to score. Smith was on target and the score moved up to 15-36.

But again Banbury seemed to switch off and allow the visitors to run at them. The result was wearily familiar as weak tackling allowed OLs to work their way into the Bulls 22, where centre Miller went over to score under the posts. With the score now 15-43 and just scant minutes to play, Banbury were determined to have the final word which came after some patient phase play in the OLs 22. The ball was shipped one way and then back the other where good handling skills by both backs and forwards gave Daniels the space he needed to go over in the corner for the final action of the game and a final score of 20-43.

Again the Bulls provided a frustrating afternoon for their supporters, with passages of good play seemingly undone by lapses in concentration. The squad know the hard work that they must now put in to get a confidence boosting win in the last match of 2011 away to Silhillians on Saturday 17th December.