On Friday we had 15 players for today. Various SOS messages on WhatsApp and teamer led to a slow dribble of extra names.

First one, then another. Emails from the coaches and we got to 20 by this morning. Another WhatsApp and the 21st player arrived with 10 minutes to the start.

Boy did we need them all. The rams are a new team to us and despite their position in the OBB league they were good.

Any thought of a comfortable afternoon was soon wiped out with 20 minutes of “to and fro” without score. We switched out players (as part of our half game rule commitment) and switched off. Two unconverted scores by them gave a 10-0 lead late into the first half.

This Banbury team are resilient and fought back. A penalty and then a converted try pegged them back to 10-10 at half time.

The rain fell and the pitch turned to mud. Our boys clearly like mud and we were slightly the better team. A penalty put us ahead but the rams threatened our goal line time and time again. We defended well and at the end scored another converted try.

A great game and much closer than the scoreline suggests. Thanks Rams and good luck in your remaining fixtures.