Heavy rain had a big impact on the league fixtures with no team scoring more than 27 points this weekend. Banbury were forced into a number of changes in the backs, Caleb Shepherd, Dan Brady and Joe Mills were ruled through injury whilst Tommy Gray returned after missing last weekends victory over Old Patesians.

Unexpectedly, Quins took the lead with some magic from the boot. Rory Garrett caught the ball on the halfway line. Took a couple steps, before booming over a drop goal from a mile out. Banbury 0 Quins 3.

Minutes later Tommy Gray kicked a penalty for Banbury to even the scores up. Quins penalised for a high tackle on their former player, Chris Davies. 3-3.

Banbury took the lead through boot of Tommy Gray again. The Banbury pack won a scrum penalty and Gray was on target to make it 6-3.

Late in the first half, Rory Garrett, evened up the scores from the boot after the Bulls were penalised for offside, 6-6.

Early in the second half Banbury retook the lead. Tommy Gray kicked into the opposition 22 and the Quins full-back took his eyes off the ball which rolled straight through his legs. Tom Burman pounced on the error to kick the ball on before diving on the ball for a try out to the left of the posts. Tommy Gray kept his 100% record with the boot after nailing a tricky conversion, 13-6.

Rory Garrett was yellow carded after a really late tackle on James Jennings who’d made a lovely break down the left wing before kicking in to the opposition 22.

Ed Phillips was one of two changes at halftime and he took over the kicking duties, but he pushed the resulting penalty just wide.

Shortly after another penalty come back off the post. Banbury were dominating possession and territory but didn’t have the points to show for it.

Perhaps with the best move of the game Alex Caviezel Cox scored a try in the clubhouse corner. Off the back of a scrum Jack Briggs played in Tommy Gray who drew the last man before passing to Cox who dived over for his second try of the season. Ed Phillips brilliantly converted from the side-line. 20-6.

Ed Berridge who’d also came on as a substitute at half time and all but secured the win for the Bulls with his late second half try. Berridge started the move with a lovely run in the Quins 22. A couple phases later Jack Briggs made a small burst before offloading to Berridge who scored in the left corner. Ed Phillips couldn’t convert, 25-6.

Considering the conditions try bonus points were few and far between across the league but Banbury had a couple late opportunities to score a fourth try. The Bulls couldn’t find the try their play deserved though. Joel Hopkins was yellow carded for Quins late on after too many penalties.

The final whistle followed shortly after. A very even first half but the Bulls second half performance was fantastic. The weather meant this was never going to be a classic, but Banbury played the conditions really well. James Jennings was picked as Banbury’s Man of the Match. The flanker has an uncanny knack of turning the ball over at exactly the right time. His line breaks were crucial to get the Bulls on the front foot as well.

Speaking to Matt Goode after the game:

25-6, in a big local derby the boys really stepped up today, didn’t they? “We had to focus on what we could do. We knew they’d bring a physical game. That didn’t stop all the way to the end. Our ambition showed a bit more than their physicality.”

It certainly wasn’t the conditions for a classic game of rugby but two tries from the backs, were you impressed by what the boys managed to do today? “Really impressed, first half against the wind. Six all was a fair reflection. A bit scrappy but we never felt like we were under pressure. Second half, especially the last 20 we managed to get that ball wider. Open some gaps and show some creativity.”

What was said at half time? Was there anything you wanted to adjust/work on? “We made a couple changes. We put Ed Phillips at 10. We wanted to make it a little bit wider. Moving Tommy to full-back gave us another threat from deep. I think we were very narrow in that first half. We opened the game up from that and it showed. Tommy putting a nice chip in for the first try and we opened the game up after that. We didn’t adapt well enough to the situation two week ago, but we got it right today.”