Sat 6 Nov 2021
A late withdrawal meant North travelled to Oundle with just 17 players, Director of Rugby Dan Griffiths joining the bench just before the kick off. With the very first play of the game Oundle lost their blind side flanker with an arm injury causing a reshuffle with their centre moving to the back row. A typically strong run from George Newman and great off load in the tackle put Gregg Szczepanski in space to run in the opening try converted by Elliott Murphy. A good handling move by the North backs gave Marley Finn the opportunity to beat his opposite number out wide and pass inside for Murphy to extend the lead converting his own try. The home side with the wind and slope in their favour were unable to seriously threaten the Bridgnorth line and the half ended with the visitors leading 14 - 0.
Despite Oundle gaining the upper hand in the set piece scrums it was from a scrum close to the Oundle line that number eight Connor Nicholls picked up to put Luis Evitt in for a try shortly after the later had come on from the bench, Murphy again converting. In the gusty conditions Oundle failed to make touch from a penalty clearance and Szczepanski ran the ball back strongly for the ball to be moved wide for Finn to earn his side a bonus point with a try in the corner to extend the lead to 26 - 0. From this point and with the conditions in their favour North would have hoped to push home the advantage but to their credit Oundle finished the game strongly scoring an unconverted try from a driving line out and then with the final play of the game we’re awarded a penalty try after a scrum infringement to make the final score 26 – 12. A break from league rugby next week sees North return to action on 20th November when Paviors visit the EDG.
