The game looked in doubt on Saturday morning after Storm Jorge had invaded the Abingdon pitch the previous night, but Coach Handley was adamant to fulfil the league tie and battled hard to relocate the fixture 30 miles north on the relatively preserved 5th pitch at Bodicote Park.

Abingdon came to disrupt Banbury’s dominance in the league, bringing a physically imposing side replete with substitutes. Banbury won the toss and elected to play with the wind behind them, but aside from kicking off they were starved of possession throughout the first half. The Abingdon pack bullied their way about the pitch, electing to commit defenders to the ruck and attack through the forwards, cutting down on passes into the wind. Banbury tackled furiously, with the front row of Andrew, E Gudge and White putting their bodies on the line for the cause. The second row of Neville and Captain Corrochano stood tall against the green and yellow tide, whilst the back row of Nicholls, O Gudge and Bending scrapped for the ball like terriers.

However, caught between the wind and a much larger pack the pressure told, and Abingdon finished the half with a heavy lead, Banbury failing to notch a score in the first 40 for the first time this season.

Stern words from Handley combined with orange slices at half time and Banbury started the second half revitalised. Scrum-half Bone urged his pack on and picked runners who hit the ball at pace, making ground. At the forefront was Corrochano, who put in a captain’s shift and earned himself man of the match through his hard carrying-metres. It was Abingdon’s turn to face a surging attack, and they were stunned when E Gudge crashed over for Banbury’s first 5-pointer.

The physical nature of the game took its toll; physical centre duo Farr and Green both had to leave the field after putting in mammoth defensive performances to be replaced by supremely versatile Brady and tenacious and elusive Reynolds. In the pack, Ford came on in the back-row and produced another barnstorming showing, Warren added his might to the front-row and Bowen slotted into the engine room.
Strong-running wingers Burke and Gillett saw more of the ball in the second half, picked out by searching passes from out-half Blake, and managed to leave deep impressions on their opposite numbers. Yet it was the forwards again who provided the next score, as E Gudge’s quick-thinking found Bowen from a quick lineout and he bulldozed through the defence to touch down.

Banbury dared to dream of a comeback, but it was not to be. Abingdon had the power on the bench to steady their ship and weather the blue and white storm before unleashing some of their own fury. They pelted the home defence, and even the introduction of Tolley into the backs or the perpetual bone-crunching tackling of Morris at fullback could not stop them crossing the line several times to regain and exceed their lead.

The Wanderers will regroup after learning some hard lessons about how to play against gritty teams in tough conditions. They welcome familiar faces from Aylesbury in a must-win fixture next Saturday.