Before the game there was a minute’s applause to remember past president Steve Boyle. The Bulls were also joined on the pitch by Trudy and Jed Boyle in a moving tribute.

Banbury flew out the blocks and raced into an early lead. Jack Briggs broke through the Chippenham line, drew the last man before playing in Tommy Gray. Tommy Gray still had plenty to do but sprinted his way over, wide out to the left. Ed Phillips converted to make it 7-0.

From the restart the kick didn’t go the required 10 metres and Banbury had a scrum on the halfway line. Chris Phillips peeled off the back and played in Ed Phillips. The scrum half exchanged passes with Tommy Gray before touching down close to the posts. Ed Phillips converted his own try to make it 14-0.

Banbury scored from the restart again. Ian Isham made the initial burst before Jack Briggs continued the break, being stopped narrowly short of the line. Jimmy Manley gathered the ball though and snuck his way over from close range. The conversion was pushed wide, but Banbury had an early 19-0 lead.

Angus Johnson saw yellow for Banbury after pulling back a player off the ball. Chippenham took full advantage and took a quick penalty, Oli Alcorn showing nice hands to gather a pass behind him and touch down under the posts. Al MacKenzie added the extras to make it 19-7.

The Bulls were soon down to 13 players after Ian Isham was penalised for not retreating ten metres after another penalty. Chippenham failed to take advantage though and with Banbury back up to 14 it was the Bulls who scored again. A rolling maul was stopped narrowly short, but Ed Phillips picked and went from close range to score in the corner. The conversion fell short to leave it 24-7. The Bulls got back to a full compliment of players shortly before half time, but the scores stayed the same.

Chippenham narrowed the lead after Jacob Unwin found a hole in the Banbury Line and outsprinted the covering defence to touch down out to the left. Al MacKenzie converted to make it 24-14.

Chris Phillips made a great rampaging run to get the Bulls on the front foot. The backs showed great skill to switch the play to the opposite wing and eventually Dan Brady went over in the corner. Ed Phillips conversion attempt went wide, 29-14.

The forwards showed some great skill and power to take a rolling maul from the edge of the 22 all the way over the try line. Ian Isham touching down in the clubhouse corner. Ed Phillips conversion went wide, 34-14.

Matt Dickens saw yellow for Chippenham after collapsing a rolling maul. Banbury took advantage straight away. The backs for both sides were trading kicks, working each other around the pitch and eventually Dan Brady gathered the ball and backed himself from range. The inform winger showed a lethal side step to get past his opposite number before sprinting his way over under the posts. Ed Phillips converted to make it 41-14.

Dan Brady picked up his hat-trick with another fine effort. Ian Isham offloaded, and Dan Brady found himself one on one with his opposite number. Showing off another lovely side step he tiptoed his way down the side line before touching down out to the left. The conversion fell short but the Bulls were firmly in control, 46-14.

Banbury won a lineout 5 metres out from the try line. Ian Isham found his target but then was left unmarked for the ball to be recycled back to him and he had the simple task of stepping over the try line unmarked and touching down in the corner. Ed Phillips converted and the 50 was up for Banbury, 53-14.

Chippenham picked up a late consolation try as Kieran Atkin went over in the corner, the conversion was wide, but the Bulls had picked up a good win as the full-time whistle followed. 53-19. A controlled performance from the Bulls. The forwards dominating the scrum all game and the rolling maul was a real weapon. Dan Brady’s hat-trick showed how far the young winger has come on this season. Some brilliant solo tries and a deserved man of the match.

53-19, was that everything you hoped this week? “Points wise yes, performance wise I don’t think we played very well. As a team and individuals, we weren’t necessarily at the races for a while. To get five points and win by the margin we did is good, but I don’t think the overall performance was good enough.”

Some great individual tries from Dan Brady again, he’s really made a step up from last season, hasn’t he? “Definitely. He’s a finisher and that’s what we need in the team, whenever he’s got space to run he’s dangerous. Scoring three tries in the second half was electric. As a team we created a lot, but we also left a lot of points out there on the pitch.”

Next week you take on Marlborough, a promoted team but already challenging at the top. A big challenge for next week? “We need to get our mindset ready for going away again. We’re three games in, we know our patterns, there shouldn’t be any rust now. We’ll work on how we can get the win this week.”

How good was the support today? “I said at the end of last year the support makes such a difference. To hear them it’s like a 16th man, its
amazing. Thank you to everyone that came down.”

Banbury try scorers: Dan Brady (3) Ed Phillips (2) Ian Isham (2) Tommy Gray, Jimmy Manley.
Conversions: Ed Phillips (4)