

Oundle returned to HQ after a well deserved win last week. Today’s opponents were another team that Oundle know well, having come down from the league above with Oundle last season. Rugby and East Warwickshire 3s. Rugby have become a bit of a bogey team for Oundle, with the hosts only winning 1 of the previous 4 meetings between the 2 sides while losing the other 3.
Oundle had a full squad of 16 players available, with the highly anticipated return (By the umpires) of old Dan Phillips. Meanwhile there was also space for Gareth Watt, who was making his 2nd appearance of the season, doubling his tally from the previous 2 years. Dalley and former skipper Tristan were both out with injuries.
The game started with a blue sky which had opened up in between the rain showers which had plagued the morning. Oundle started with pushback and on the front foot. Pushing high up the pitch and penning Rugby back. It took a good counter attack from Rugby to win them the first short corner of the match. This was fired straight at Youngy and saved.
With Rugby growing into the game, Oundles relentless press was working, George Martin picking the ball up in his own half, and playing an aerial pass to striking partner Brendan ‘Brenners’ Sullivan who proceeded to show off his hockey skills, beating 3 players before playing a 1-2 with the 4th and final Rugby defender, firing a shot low into the bottom corner from close range for his first goal of the season.
Oundle thought they had doubled their lead not long after, with Old Dan Phillips playing a sublime cross field pass to a completely free Gareth Watt on the right, Gareth crossing the ball back into the D… The first shot was well saved by the Rugby keeper, who parried the ball out to Ollie Bogg, who must have thought he had his 2nd goal in as many games; but it was not to be as John Pickstone was in the way before firing home himself. The nearside umpire originally gave the goal, but this was overruled by the far side umpire. Ollie was later quoted as saying ‘It’s hard to score when they have 2 goalkeepers.’
After the relief of Oundles 2nd goal being disallowed, Rugby grew into the game more and more, their wide players showing their skill, and reaching the latter stages of the half, they found their reward, winning a free hit inside Oundles 23 working the ball well into the box (after a deflection or 2) the Rugby forward fired home from close range through the legs of Youngy.
After this goal, Rugby continued with their pressure and nearly added a 2nd from a drag flick which was saved by Youngy, who also got to the rebound, this was carried out the D by Strong and Stable Peter Allett. Oundle finished the half strong, with Rugby again pinned in to their own half and not given the space to breathe.
With the start of the 2nd half Rugby nearly had a chance straight from pushback, with the through ball just too far in front of the forward. The early stages of the 2nd half were cagey with both sides trying to figure out the best way to break the opposition defences.
The game started to become stretched, both teams having opportunities, Rugby having a shot which Youngy saved onto Jimmy Moore, the resulting short corner came to nothing. Oundle had a couple of opportunities, with Flying Rhino Pickstone well tackled by the Rugby keeper after being played through. Brenners would have assisted utility man Al Simpson up for an open goal if it wasn’t for the timely intervention of a Rugby defender.
But with the game being stretched, Rugby again won a free hit inside Oundles 23 after Oundle gave the ball away. The Rugby winger rolled his defender before playing the ball across the D, for the forward to tap home at the 2nd time of asking.
There was a brief flare up of tempers between Phillips and a Rugby player who had hooked Phillips stick. Phillips flinging away the Rugby players stick halfway back up the A14. The excitement caused Brenners voice to break at some point during the match, attracting all the local dogs in a 2 mile radius.
With the game entering its final minutes and Rugby adopting a policy of anywhere will do, Oundle won a short corner with just 2 minutes to go, the Rugby defence charged out and managed to get a foot on the shot. The 2nd short corner was injected, again going to George ‘Schoffel’ Martin, whose 2nd shot was just agonisingly the wrong side of the post for Oundle.
It was Oundles first loss of the season after a very close game with Rugby, a game which Oundle will feel they could have walked away with either the 1 point or all 3. The result leaves Oundle in 5th place but only 3 points off the top in the early stages of the season. Oundle hit the road again next week against Rugby & East Warwickshire 4s. HWTL.