On the birthday of their team manager and first aider Jackie Arnold Calne were determined to put in a good performance, in the second round of the Powergen junior vase and beat their counterparts from the Berks/Bucks and Oxon Premier.

The away side, having beaten Chesham, in the first round kicked off down the slope with the sun to their backs, on an unusually warm October. Littlemore had the better of the early exchanges and referees whistle, as the Calne forwards were penalised for not rolling away, and tacking from an offside position. The latter infringement being punished by the boot of the Littlemore fly half who converted from 30 yards out to give the away side the lead.

The style of the two sides soon became apparent. Littlemore’s driving mauls and inside balls furthered their cause. Whilst Calne pinned Littlemore back thanks to their fluid back line. Notable runs coming from outside centre Guthrie Holliday, full back James Gladding and wing Mike Robinson. But it was to be the Oxfordshire side who scored next however with another penalty after Calne were pinged for holding on. 0-6.

20 minutes gone and the home side scrum began to push and dominate the larger visitor’s pack, as the bigger boys started to tire, thanks to excellent front row work from Max Whiston, Matty Arnold and Mickey Dyer. This soon translated into better loose contact supremacy. Calne were soon rewarded with three penalties in quick succession. Littlemore were stung for not releasing twice and not letting the player up after a tackle. Scrum half Andrew Donegan could only convert one of these. 3-6.

After an injury to one of the Littlemore players, the visitors seemed to find a second wind and set up a rolling maul just inside the Calne half. This forward move managed to yield a penalty in front of the posts after Calne were penalised for collapsing the maul. 3-9.

Calne’s backs then shone in an excellent move from the middle of the park, James Gladding broke the line and threaded an excellent pass to his number 13 Guthrie Holliday. Holiday took the score under the posts which was converted. Calne found themselves certainly in the ascendancy through the backs, however, Calne’s number 10 unfortunately pulled wide another penalty for the home side in front of the posts.

The half ended with the home side deep in the Littlemore half. 10-9.

The break seemed to rejuvenate the heavier travelling pack as the exchanges proved tight once more with bullocking runs from the Littlemore back row. One of these runs set up a 45 yard rolling maul. A barrage of frustrated calls from the sidelines through poor forward positioning and accusations of “truck and trailer” provided no avail and Calne yielded another penalty which was duly converted.10-12

The Calne backs stretched their legs when they could and again penetrated the Littlemore line through Lewis Baker but didn’t look for support, but it was the away side that scored next with a penalty. Fortunately, this was matched with a penalty from the right side of the pitch from Calne to make the scores 13-15.

The match then turned to a real ding dong affair, as the ball found its way deep into the Calne half only to find itself, 2 minutes later, being driven forward into the Littlemore 22. Calne, on this occasion, gained a penalty on the right side, for not releasing, which was converted excellently by Donegan.

The Littlemore pack found its feet after a rest once more, after another injury to one of its players, and tried to set up another driving maul. This was excellently thwarted by the Calne forwards who managed a turnover and fed the ball to full back James Gladding. Gladding, whose kicking was exemplary all day, threaded the ball to the 5 metre, Littlemore, touchline. This set up an excellent front line for Calne who through another superb scrum, after a Littlemore knock on, scored through another backs run. Guthrie Holliday secured his brace with an unconverted try in the right corner.

The Littlemore forwards tried to force their way back into it in the Calne 22, but the home side forwards would not be bowed and defended like their lives depended on it. As wave upon wave of attacking short balls were repulsed with a close call as the Littlemore forwards nearly crossed the line, but were penalised for holding on from the resulting scrum move. Littlemore did not threaten after this and 5 minutes later, the referee blew for the end of the game and Calne booked their place in the third round.

Final Score. Calne 21 Littlemore 15

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