Sat 18 Oct 2025
After a fine, but tightly fought, victory against Olney last week, OCs were looking to secure back-to-back wins against a Wellingborough side struggling for form at the bottom of the table. With away wins at a premium in this League for everyone, this was still a big ask for the lads – not helped by the absence of several regular first team starters through injury and rave commitments.
The game started well for the OC’s who took the early lead. Following a pacey break in midfield by Luke Ireland, OCs moved the ball neatly down field and as Josh James drove hard for the line, he lay the ball off to young flyhalf James McIntosh who dotted down over the line. Chatty popped up to knock over the extra 2 points. Soon after, with OCs looking confident, winger Georgie Smith made a scything break and, spotting scrumhalf Jack Aston in support, he slipped the ball out the back to his No. 9 to scramble over the line and finish off a really well worked passage of play. Chatty slotted over the conversion to give OCs an early, but well deserved, 14-0 lead. Not to be disheartened, Wellingborough came back with some slick back play of their own and moved the ball well into the OCs 22m. With OCs under pressure, their defence was caught offside and the Wellingborough fullback stepped up to take the 3 points and put his team on the scoreboard. From a lineout on halfway, OCs moved the ball wide into space and pushed deep into the Wellingborough 22m area. Retaining good ball across several phases, OCs finally opened up enough space out wide for Josh McMurray to nonchalantly stroll over in the corner from 5metres out.
Once again, Wellingborough responded well to going further behind. Breaking out from their own half with some fine interchanges between their backs and forwards, Wellingborough took the ball close to the OCs line. Picking up the ball from a fly hack through, their flanker just managed to find enough space to pass the ball to the winger who squeezed over the line in the corner for Wellingborough’s first try of the game, which was comfortably converted from the touchline. With halftime approaching and OCs holding a narrow lead, OCs pressure finally told on the Wellingborough defence who were forced in to conceding a penalty 30m out. Chatty nudged the ball in to touch for the lineout 10m from the goal line. OCs lineout once again worked well and the subsequent driving maul was powerfully finished off by Dan Kelly – who has been a revelation in the front row since his return to the Club at the end of last season. Chatty was unable to convert the try but OCs went into halftime with a bonus point and a bit of breathing space on the scoresheet.
Half-time score: Wellingborough 10 v 24 Old Coventrians
Wellingborough started the second half in a determined but feisty fashion. Picking up a loose kick, they pushed hard down the field into the OCs 22m area. As they tried to secure the ruck ball a huge counterdrive by the ever impressive Dan Anderson knocked two attackers back off their feet and as the ball came loose it was picked up by James McIntosh who fed on to Ayuk Takang who sprinted the length of the field to dot the ball down over the line. OCs decided to bring on substitute centre George Curtis, who was unable to start the game due to his jet-setting lifestyle, having only hours before kick-off landed in the UK from his sojourn on the Neopolitan Riviera. George made an immediate impact – tightening the discipline in OCs midfield defence and then finding himself on the end of a slick piece of play from James McIntosh who, after darting between two defenders popped the ball delightfully out the back to George who crashed over the line from 8 metres out with two defenders on his back. Chatty stepped up to slot over the extra points and give OCs a 36-10 lead. Despite the scoreline, Wellingborough were not prepared to give up and lie down and they came back with a try of their own. After some strong play between backs and forwards they had stretched the OCs defence enough to give their flanker enough room to break through and score under the posts.
OCs continued to press the Wellingborough defence, powerful breaks by George Curtis and Jack Aston threatening to break through, but the home side’s defence held firm. An OCs lineout on the Wellingborough 22m line was well taken and as the driving maul crabbed towards the middle of the field, scrum half Jack Aston switched the play and took the ball blind and, dummying the first defender, just managed to squeeze through a gap to score his second try of the game. A lovely conversion from Chatty wide out on the touchline, moved the score up to 17-43.
The game was quickly put out of reach of the home side with two more tries coming in quick succession. The first of these came from a 5m scrum in the corner. The ball was won and shipped out to the backs where a long, looping pass by James McIntosh gave the overlap to Georgie Smith who finished off the move dotting down in the corner. The second came straight from the kickoff. OCs caught the ball and set up a quick ruck, the speed of which opened up some space on the blind side which OCs backs took full advantage of to shift the ball quickly out to winger Josh James who gave himself an early birthday present by outpacing the chasing defence and scampering in for a try from the halfway line. Everyone, including JJ, happy to see him not drop the ball over the line after last weeks faut-pas! Chatty again stepping up to pop over the conversion.
Wellingborough were able to pick up a consolation try, and a losing bonus point, following a nice passage of play between their backs and forwards, resulting in their centre finding a rare space in the OCs midfield defence to crash over the line. However, OCs deservedly had the final say in the game when Dan Anderson leapt to steal a lineout on the Wellingborough 10m line. Some deft interchanges between backs and forwards then saw the ball come back into the hands of the young second rower who had enough pace, even after a huge 75-minute shift, to outstrip the Wellingborough backs to score in the corner. The brilliance of that try was somewhat marred by a display of handbags between several players which resulted in Jordan Diston, after a full 8 minutes on the pitch, and OCs fresh-faced fly half James McIntosh both being yellow carded for foul play. Disappointing after a very disciplined effort from the whole team throughout the match.
It was a much-improved performance across the board from the OCs Team. The positional kicking out of hand proved much more productive in both relieving pressure and getting in behind their opponents defence. Chris Cain’s presence in the scrum gave much-needed stability to the set-piece, giving the backs much more time and space in attack. With James McIntosh growing in confidence with every game and, stand-in Captain Elliott Sheepy leading from the front with another all-round dominant performance, OCs are visibly starting to look more at home in this League. Once again, there were standout performances by both Luke Ireland and Dan Anderson – who continued to display the impressive form they have shown in every game so far this season. OCs welcome a strong Bedford Athletic outfit next week – there seem to be no easy games in this League – should be a really good gauge of the progress OCs have made of late.
Full-time score: Wellingborough 22 v 60 Old Coventrians
