Old Leamingtonians 10 Leamington 20: OLs crash and Byrne against their derby rivals

In the end, notwithstanding the incessant onslaught of the home attack, Leamington came away with their seventh win on the trot to keep them in sight of the league leaders.

On a heavy pitch, Old Leamingtonians set the early pace with a number of concerted attacks and Spa were grateful to the boot of scrum-half Patrick Northover to deliver them from pressure on a number of occasions.

OLs’ pressure was to bear fruit in the 15th minute when they stole ball from a Spa line-out deep in the visitors’ 22 and Jason Healey crashed over for a score converted by Angus Rose.

Spa took advantage of a slight reduction in the strength of the wind to mount their first attacks of the afternoon.

Dan Kane increased pressure on the home side with a typical direct run and this effort from Spa soon brought reward.

A superb rolling maul threatened the tryline before Northover took the ball and zipped it down the line, with both Alex Carroll and Tom Daplyn carrying the move on at pace before Jamie Harrison raced in at the corner. Northover’s conversion attempt just failed to make the distance.

Spa then went ahead with some enterprising play.

Prop Scott Peters began the move with forceful run on the nearside wing, with support from Pete Blunt. Northover then sent over a clever kick to the same wing which Jamie Harrison fielded effortlessly before gliding over to give Spa a three-point lead.

As the half drew to a close, OLs took advantage of Spa’s indiscipline to draw level with a penalty goal.

A storm of Biblical proportions arrived at Bericote Road after the interval with rain turning into a torrent of hail which cut across the pitch and thwarted any hope of clean handling or fast-flowing rugby.

Despite the conditions, the hosts were soon pressing Spa and became encamped in the visitors’ 22 for the first quarter.

Desperate defending was called for and Spa put up an impenetrable wall to keep the hosts at bay before catching them out with a rare attack.

Finding themselves in the OLs half, the Leamington forwards pressed to the tryline and as Gareth Shuttleworth fended off the opposition, allowing Scott Peters the room to crash over in the corner. Tom Secher was just off target with the conversion attempt.

The five-point advantage was soon in jeopardy as Old Leamingtonians were awarded a number of kickable penalties, in quick succession, which they failed to capitalise on.

This profligacy would soon come home to haunt them as Spa increased their lead further with a well-worked score.

Blunt took the ball from an attacking scrum and eased it to Northover, allowing the scrum- half room to get in a pass to Ryan Byrne who outwitted his defender to burst over in the corner and complete the scoring.