10 Mar 10
Warwickshire Cup – Quarter Final
Earlsdon 15 - Old Laurentians 38
Laurentians saw off the challenge of a lively and competitive Earlsdon side to move into the semi-final of the Warwickshire Cup. But in a mirror image of the Barkers’ Butts match of the previous Saturday they had to overturn a half time deficit to do so, scoring 31 points without reply in another impressive second half performance.
OLs started very brightly with a series of sweeping attacks that culminated in a well taken try by Scott Wiles, who timed his entry into the line to perfection to knife through and score under the posts. Denzil Evans added the conversion for a 7-0 lead after four minutes play.
Stung into action, Earlsdon took the game to OLs and drew level after fifteen minutes when some great back play stretched the visitors’ defence to the limit and led to their centre jinking through for a fine try that was well converted by the full back. The home pack were competing well with the OLs eight and their backs, orchestrated by Scott at fly half, were bristling with attacking intent.
Earlsdon took the lead with a penalty after thirty five minutes and then scored the try that they had been threatening as half time approached, making good ground after winning a scrum on their own ten metre line to work an opportunity for their wing to go over in the corner and a 15-7 score at the break.
The home side opened the second half as they had ended the first and were attacking OL’s line when a pass was dropped. Scott Wiles was quickest to react, hacking the ball on from inside the 22. Simon Bayliss’s pace did the rest, outstripping the defence to gather the ball and go over under the posts for a try, converted by Evans, that reduced the deficit to one point at 15-14.
OLs now began to impose themselves on the game as the home side appeared to be running out of steam after their first half exertions. Evans sent Jamie Brightwell away down the left flank from a scrum on the Earlsdon ten metre line and the wing made good ground before finding Iain Wallis up in support. The centre’s slick off load kept the movement going and it was finished by Richard Parker dummying his way over under the posts. Evans’ conversion appeared to sneak over although neither touch judge agreed, but OLs had recovered the lead at 19-15.
Several Earlsdon players were in front of the ball at the re-start and from the following scrum full back Scott Wiles again entered the line to telling effect, sending Bayliss on his way for the winger to burn off the defence and score under the posts. Evans added the goal points for a 26-15 lead after eighteen minutes of the half.
OLs were now firmly in charge, their pack were winning the forward battle, particularly in the lineout, Ben O’Riordan was carrying the ball very effectively and skipper for the day Glenn Todd was putting in a big game.
With twelve minutes left on the clock, a well executed move at the front of a lineout between Mark Todd and O’Riordan put number 8 Steve Pike over, Evans conversion just missed from wide out and the score moved up to 31-15.
As OLs cranked up the pressure further another score seemed inevitable and after Harry Bryan went close it came just before the final whistle after a scrum near the Earlsdon line. The home side appeared to steal the ball but were robbed in turn and Evans sent Wallis in, the centre jinking over from fifteen metres out, probably about his maximum try scoring distance these days. Evans converted to round off the scoring and another satisfactory result.
Other quarter-final results:
Berkswell & Balsall 32 – Newbold on Avon 3
Dunlop 14 – Sutton Coldfield 23
Nuneaton Old Edwardians 20 – Bedworth 13
The semi-finals will be played on Wednesday April 14th (on neutral grounds) and the final is on May 9th.
Report by Bill Wallis
