Sat 25 Sep 2021
Perfect conditions for rugby, with low wind and cool temperatures, an artificial pitch and two strong sides, set up an enthralling competition. Aylesbury are always tough to beat at their home and Saturday was no exception.
Aylesbury started well going 7-0 up early on with a well worked move out wide to finish in the corner after a frenetic and messy start to the game.
Both teams then exchanged penalties as the score moved to 10-3.
Wallingford were taking time to wake up and the Aylesbury scrum half spotted a space in the back field and was able to exploit the new 50/22 Law, putting Aylesbury right on the Wallingford 5-meter line. Aylesbury executed a well drilled lineout and powered over, showing the deadly nature of the new high risk high reward kicking law.
15-3 up with barely 15 minutes gone, it was Wallingford’s turn to show their class. The Wallingford pack dominated scrum time the whole game and building off that and well-structured play, brought the battling pack into the home sides 22; after multiple pick and goes, strong carries from the likes of Searle, Dallimore and Tappin, Ian Jeffreys was able to touch down to bring Wallingford back into the half, Campbell with the extras for 15-10.
With 10 mins of the half left, from deep, Cerullo made a darting run weaving to the opposition 10-meter line, followed by a well-placed kick from Nathan Chapman down the left wing, somehow staying in field, it was returned by an alert Aylesbury 15. Wallingford spread the play working again into the opposition 22, Cerullo and Chapman combined again, with a long looping pass over the blitzing Aylesbury defense, for Chapman in space, to finish well in the corner. Wallingford would finish the half with the momentum on their side and level at 15 a-piece.
2nd half
The 2nd half was a more cagey affair as the game became messier as both sides began to take more risks to try and get the advantage, Aylesbury would be the first to score taking 3 points from Wallingford ill-Discipline, 18-15.
Wallingford would respond though, with penalties against Aylesbury giving Wallingford the opportunity to work their way up the pitch. On the left touch line 22 out, a well formed catch and drive took the ball to the 5 meter line before being collapsed illegally, resulting in a yellow card but no penalty try. Wallingford continued to pile on the pressure, well-structured forwards play, led to a well taken try from skipper James Norris, darting in from 5 meters and reaching out to dot down for 5 point, the extras added 18-22.
Wallingford would spend much of the 2nd half in the Aylesbury 22, but a tight defense kept Wallingford out and only able to take another 3 points from the tee to bring the score to 18-25.
As is the case with many Rugby matches, momentum rules the direction of scoring, Aylesbury kept out an extended Wallingford attack on their own line to exit with a penalty, this moment in large swung the last 10 minutes, Aylesbury worked their way well up the pitch and were rewarded with a well taken 3 points from just inside the Wallingford 10, 21-25 with 5 minutes to play.
Aylesbury, with the momentum, continued to pile on the pressure, Wallingford held strong and did what they could to play in the right areas of the park, but some Wallingford ill-discipline as the game drew to a close, brought Aylesbury into the Wallingford 22. A well delivered cross field kick was contested well by both wingers, but came out with Aylesbury in possession, and after a couple of phases, and with 10 seconds on the clock, a hard line and galloping run took Aylesbury over the line to take it to 26-25, the extras made the final score and Aylesbury kicked out to bring an end to a fiercely fought battle. 
A game largely dominated by Wallingford, two purple patches from Aylesbury in the first 15 and last 10 of the game would give them the win, but the positives for Wallingford are plain to see, well-structured for much, largely clinical in the oppositions 22 and a forward’s pack that looks to give a solid foundation at set piece for the rest of the season. A Man of the match performance from Ian Jeffreys at 8, a try, strong carries all game and defensively did much to stop big ball carriers.
Honorable mention to Charles Campbell for a perfectly weighted grubber, and Nathan Chapman for butchering the pickup and walk in. A DOTD if there ever was one.
