Sat 22 Jan 2022
Wallingford travelled to Bicester on a chilly Saturday afternoon looking for their first win at their county rivals in 20 years.
In selection, Craig Irwin replaced Nelly Kinniburgh at hooker, Dan Sadler came in at full back, and Will Fox started in the second row, whilst their were debuts for Ollie Corbett and Fraser Pickthall in the backs.
Bicester started the better of the two teams, as they dominated the opening exchanges with a combination of hard tight carries and some well executed kicking.
After soaking up nearly 10 minutes of pressure, discipline began to slip giving the hosts some good attacking positions, and eventually they squeezed over for the opening score, which was converted.
This was shortly followed by a converted penalty as Bicester made a strong start to the game and Wallingford struggled to get a foothold.
But the visitors did not panic, and came back with a sustained spell of pressure, and after several good opportunities were spurned, they eventually found space on the right and Charles Campbell put Tom Cerullo for a score which was not converted.
The remainder of the half saw few gilt-edged chances, though Bicester’s impressive kicker did nudge another penalty which sent the hosts into half time with a 13-5 lead.
The second half saw a similar pattern develop, as Wallingford created a number of half chances out wide, whilst Bicester were content to kick long and make Wallingford play out of their half, which to be fair, was effective in the opening 20 minutes of the half, as Bicester earned another penalty which was slotted.
Campbell then reduced arrears with a simple penalty.
The visitors came back well again, and made good yards down the left, and were eventually rewarded with a short range try from Nathan Chapman, which went unconverted.
As the game entered the last quarter, Bicester continued to kick for territory, and it looked like déjà vu for Wallingford as another penalty seemed to be taking the game away form them, like the week prior against Abbey.
But unlike the previous week, Wallingford’s decision making and execution did not let them down, as Charles Campbell found his kicking boots and made Bicester pay for their faultering discipline, as they visibly began to tire.
After a string of penalties to Wallingford to the Bicester line, it was the unlikely figure of Campbell who hit a crash line in midfield before stepping through for a well taken try, taking the score to 18-19.
Crucially the kick was just to the right of the posts, and this time Campbell made no mistake.
With less than 10 minutes to go, both teams turned over possession and nerves got the better of them, but Wallingford showed that little bit more composure under pressure to largely deny Bicester possession and territory, as the game finished 20-19 to Wallingford.
This was Wallingford’s first win on the road this season, and although the game could have gone either way, Wallingford were rewarded for their greater enterprise in attack as their hosts tired.
Bicester will rue indiscipline in the final quarter, and were unlucky to only take a point from the game.
Regardless, a win at Bicester is a rarity, and hopefully this will help build the confidence of a talented by frustrated Wallingford side.
Man of the match went to debutant Ollie Corbett, whose composure at scrum-half was a big factor in Wallingford’s improved second half performance.
