Battling Littlemore show incredible grit in a stormy encounter
In a match played in awful weather conditions, with high winds and driving rain making rugby difficult for both sides, Littlemore RFC and Banbury III battled it out in a fiercely contested encounter that went right down to the wire.
Banbury got off to the stronger start, taking an early lead but failing to convert their try. They would later cross the line again, this time adding the conversion to extend their advantage. With the conditions making every phase of play a challenge, Littlemore had to dig deep to stay in the contest.
And dig deep they did.
Refusing to let the weather or the scoreboard dampen their fighting spirit, Littlemore took advantage of a Banbury mistake to earn a three-point opportunity, keeping themselves within touching distance.
Reduced to 13 men in the second half, Littlemore produced a remarkable defensive effort, holding firm for more than 10 minutes with Banbury camped on their try line. Joe make multiple last man tackles. Against the odds, the home side refused to give way, showing tremendous determination and teamwork to keep their opponents out.
As the second half wore on, Littlemore continued to battle, and their persistence finally paid off when they crossed for a crucial try. Alec stepped up to add the conversion, bringing the score to 10–12 and setting up a tense finish.
Then came the decisive moment.
In the final minute, Banbury conceded another penalty, around 20 yards out. With the game hanging in the balance, Alec lined up the kick. The pressure was on, the conditions were unforgiving, but he struck the ball cleanly, sending it straight over the posts.
Littlemore had snatched victory at the death!
A hard-fought contest, a monumental defensive stand and a last-minute kick to seal it — a performance Littlemore can be proud of.
MOTM Alec Goold and Joe Kays
