OA Rugby 24 Westcombe Park 20

A last minute tap and go penalty from 5 meters out from OA back-row Haydn Barnes was the difference between to evenly matched sides in a tight game at Woollams. Westombe Park started the stronger and with a big pack looked to play a tight game in difficult conditions follow heavy morning rain. Their first try came on 8 minutes after scrum half Ricki Gould kicked through a flat OA defence the ball bounced kindly and left wing Toby Wallace scored in the corner. Fly half Nathan Wyman was short with the conversion. However, ten minutes later he was on target with a penalty 0-8. Park were dominating the territory and possession and second row Sam Fombo scored after several phase of play, Wyman converted, 0-15. The try sparked OA in to life and Sam Jones kicked a penalty to get them on the scoreboard. Then an interception from OA centre Jarryd Sage took the ball up to the Park 22 meter line, left wing Alex Ricci was on hand to take the pass and score under the posts. Sam Jones converted to make OA 10- Westcombe Park 15 at half time. OA looked fitter in the second half and following a charge down from back row Kemp Price Lewis Jones gathered the ball to score. Sam Joines converted and OAs were ahead for the first time 17-15. Park weren’t done and left wing Wallace scored again on 67 minutes to retake the lead 17-20. Then OA camped in the Park 22 and after a series of penalties Barnes was on hand to score the winning try, Jones again converted, final score OA 24- Westcombe Park 20.

OA 24
Tries: Ricci 35, L Jones 48, Barnes 79
Conversions: Jones 36, 48 78
Penalties: Jones 30

Westcombe Park 20
Tries: Wallace 8, 67, Fombo 25
Conversions: Wyman 26
Penalties: Wyman 18

Star man: Ben Alexander -OA
Half time score: 10- 15
Attendance: 255

Richard Homer,

Reporter