Another close run thing saw the Banbury Bulls beat a strong-running and skilful Vipers side on Saturday. Banbury were keen to set a marker down on return to action at Bodicote Park after their opening day draw to Towcestrians and were able to bring Pete Papenfus into the side for his first start in 18 months alongside former captain Andy Collett in the centres.

With a strong wind blowing the length of the pitch, the possibility of one team building a lead in one-half and having to defend it was always there and the home side were to play with this wind advantage in the first half. Banbury used the wind to good advantage and intelligent kicking from fly-half Joe Mills, Papenfus and full-back Pete Flemming kept the visitors pinned in their own territory for much of the half.

With the wind advantage, Banbury knew that they tries were what was required. However, despite the lion’s share of possession, poor handling and wrong options saw many promising positions go to waste. After another tryless foray into the Vipers 22, the Bulls were able to force a penalty and Mike Smith stepped up to give the home side a 3-0 lead with 20 minutes gone.

Despite having to run the ball from deep, the Vipers back in particular looked quick and dangerous and a number of promising attacks were only snuffed out by some excellent cover tackles, one in particular by flanker Adam Walsh who was able to track back and bring down the flying Vipers winger. It was during this period of probing attacks by Vipers that Papenfus was forced off with a head injury. Immediately after this change the Bulls re-jigged back-line were found wanting from a first-phase move off a Vipers lineout on halfway. Breaking through the initial line of Banbury defence in the centres, good support play led to the Vipers winger going over for the first try of the match. A successful conversion from the Vipers full-back saw Banbury trailing 7-3.

The first half then resumed its familiar pattern with Vipers defending in their own half and Banbury’s skills letting them down. By this stage, however it became clear that the Banbury pack had the better of their opposition in the scrum and it was from this platform that the Bulls regained the lead. With the Vipers on the back foot 5 metres from their own line, number 8 Simon Brand picked up from the base and drove through two attempted tackles to dot down to score. Smith was again on target with the conversion and with no further scores, Banbury went in at half-time with a slender 10-7 lead.

With Vipers now enjoying the wind advantage and demonstrating good attacking skills in the backs it would take a concerted effort in the second-half for Banbury to take the points. Things began poorly for the home side and only Collett’s quick reactions to ground the ball for a 22 drop-out after a promising Vipers grubber kick kept the visitors from scoring. However it proved to be a short lived reprieve as poor chasing from the resultant drop-out by the Bulls gave the Vipers winger a chance to run the ball back. A number of feeble tackles were brushed off and the winger went over to give Vipers a 12-10 lead. Again the visiting full-back was on target and with a 14-10 lead there was a danger the match might run away from Banbury.

But, this proved to be one of the few forays Vipers would be able to muster in the rest of the second-half which saw the Banbury pack turn the screw on their opposition forwards and keep them deep in their own half for much of the remainder of the game. Spurning lineout opportunities in favour of the more reliable scrums, the Bulls kept Vipers on the back foot and were to take the lead again from a similar situation to that in the first half. After prop Andy Gilbert was adjudged to have been held up over the Vipers line, the resulting 5-metre scrum saw Brand again given the chance to pick and go from the base. A strong drive saw the number 8 go over for his second try and the Bulls were once again in the lead. Smith was off target with the conversion and a one point lead at 15-14 was preserved in a nervy final 10 minutes. Strong defence from Banbury however kept Vipers from threatening this lead and Banbury gladly took the points in an entertaining, if low-scoring game.

Banbury coach Grant Holmes said “We are aware that again we had to battle for our win, but to be serious title contenders this season we need to be more clinical in attack.” The chance for the Bulls to prove this comes on Saturday when they entertain Huntingdon at home – kick-off 3pm.