| First team: Ollerton V Selly Oak.
Powergen Junior Cup Final score: 3-35
This Powergen Junior Vase second round game started with Ollerton on the back foot from
the offset. This resulted in Ollerton conceding an early penalty within the first five
minutes. 0-3
This seemed to work in Ollerton’s favour with the game being turned around and
Ollerton applying all the early pressure.
With twenty minutes on the clock, Ollerton were unlucky to have a try disallowed when the
referee ruled that a five metre scrum had turned through ninety degrees just before the
ball was grounded.
Five minutes later, against the run of play, Selly Oak increased their lead when the ball
was shipped wide for their winger to cut back inside to score under the posts, this was
converted. 0-10
On the half hour mark, Selly Oak were awarded a further penalty bringing the score to 0-13
Ollerton again regrouped and were camped in the Selly Oak half for the remainder of the
first half but failed to break down the defence.
Ollerton started the second half where they had left off and were rewarded with a penalty,
converted by full back Kevin Cogan 3-13.
With ten minutes gone, both teams found themselves down to fourteen men as Ollerton’s
hooker and Selly Oak’s second row both received ten minutes in the sin bin to cool
down after some heated exchanges.
The game was then concentrated in midfield with neither team able to gain the advantage
until Selly Oak broke the deadlock with an opportunistic kick and chase which saw their
centre scoring under the posts, this too was converted 3-20
Selley Oak again increased their lead five minutes later with a penalty kick.
The Ollerton forwards lifted themselves again and winger Eric Cranmer came close to
scoring in the corner whilst being driven forwards by the hard working Ollerton pack.
With the final ten minutes looming, Selley Oak’s forwards combined well to score in
the corner, try converted 3-30
Ollerton regrouped yet again and were unlucky in the final minutes when a fine loop pass
from winger Steve Hallam released fellow winger Eric Cranmer down the left wing only for a
try saving tackle by the Selly Oak full back preventing Cranmer from crossing the Selly
Oak line and giving Ollerton some well deserved points.
Selly Oak’s reply was instant as the Ollerton defence was again breached in the final
seconds 3-35
The game finished with Ollerton again pressurising the Selly Oak line but failing to turn
that pressure into points. |