Midlands 2 West (South) Division - Glasshouse Lane, Kenilworth – 3pm Saturday 13th April 2013

Match reporting by Chris Phillips.

Banbury put in a fantastic all-round display to take advantage of the weather conditions and rain on Kenilworth’s parade as they upset the league leaders and title favourites 15-21.

Back in action after a 4 weeks break Banbury looked to have a tough afternoon ahead of them as they travelled to leaders Kenilworth, whom had only lost once so far this season and were unbeaten at home, going into their final home game of the season in front of a large crowd. The afternoon threatened conditions worthy of running rugby on Kenilworth’s wide pitch but just before kick off the heavens opened and Banbury sniffed their first opportunity.

The match started as many may have suspected with Kenilworth applying pressure and taking the lead, first through a penalty from fly half Kendall and then through an unconverted try from winger Middleton after a smart backs move. Banbury gathered themselves together and started to pile on pressure of their own, with scrum half & skipper Eddie Phillips and fly half & former Kenilworth player Jed Boyle marshalling both backs and forwards fantastically in bruising encounters.

Banbury worked their way up into the Kenilworth 22 and before long the pressure told as K’s 7 was guilty of deliberately killing the ball in the ‘red zone’ and was given his marching orders for a 10 min rest. Having been off target with an earlier penalty and smelling blood in the water skipper Phillips turned to his forwards, now 1 man to the good, and opted for the scrum. The buoyant Banbury pack duly obliged, after absorbing a decent hit from the weakened K’s scrum they controlled the scrum well allowing veteran number 8, Brand to finish smartly off the back of the scrum, Phillips adding the extras taking the score to 8-7.

Banbury didn’t take their foot off the gas during the period of numerical advantage and forwards and backs kept rumbling on and breaking through midfield. One such break from Banbury forwards resulted in some scrappy play in the K’s 22, which Banbury tidied up recycled well and set the platform for Phillips to dart and dive around the side of a ruck to dot down under the posts for another converted try. Banbury ended the sin bin period having scored 14 unanswered points but it didn’t stop there. Still in the ascendency Banbury ended the first half on a high, a well-placed box kick into the K’s 22 was not gather cleanly by the full back and Banbury had a scrum about 20 metres out. Another steady platform set the stage for Boyle who, relishing the contest with his old side, instigated a training ground move executed to perfection by the firing back line allowing him to gallop under the posts for the 3rd converted try and take the half time score to 8-21.

The second half saw Kenilworth come back at Banbury and apply periods of long but fruitless pressure. Banbury looked to absorb this pressure and wait for opportunities to play rugby of their own. They spent a large period of time camped in the K’s half but a knock on in the slippery condition rendered the attack void and K’s went on a pitch length break. Dragged down short Banbury tried to gather their defensive line but were adjudge to have deliberately knocked the ball on and replacement hooker Richmond earned himself a 10 minute rest. Kenilworth exerted the 1 man advantage but Banbury held strong for a substantial amount of time before the K’s scrum half was able to wriggle his way through around a ruck to score, converted it took the score to 15-21 with a nervy 10 minutes to go.

Banbury showed good fight in the last 10 minutes to hold out Kenilworth’s final attacks and turn the ball over at opportune moments. One such turnover resulted in skipper Phillips getting the nod from the referee that time was up and a scruffy shin clearance signalled the end of the game and a great result for Banbury.

Due to the lack of 18 MOTM awards in the Banbury changing room Captain E. Phillips took the golden Bull home for a fantastic marshalling of the troops display and leading from the front. Rumours even have it that the elated Banbury captain even won a drinking contest but this cannot be confirmed at this time!

Kenilworth played a good game and battled worthy of their position at the top of the table, they were full of praise for a Banbury team that “made a mockery of their league position”.

Banbury have 2 games left to play and next week sees them host bottom side Upton-upon-Severn, come along and show your support to help keep the momentum going for the last push of the season.