ONS THROUGH TO PAPA JOHNS SEMI FINAL

ONs 63-8 Tring

It was third time lucky for the ONs as they moved into the semi final of the Papa Johns Community Cup with this victory over Tring at Billing Road.
In the league game in October the ONs had gone down 18-15 at a very wet Tring with Ben Hogan landing 6 penalties and in the return fixture at Billing Road in early February a last minute Hogan kick gave the visitors their 19-17 win.

Tring kicked off playing down the slope and after Ben Hogan had put an early penalty just wide he was on target minutes later.Joe Heslop ran a kick back and the attack was halted just short of the opposition line by a high tackle earning Tring a yellow card and the ONs a penalty.The kick was put into the corner and Callum Burns went over from the ensuing lineout drive and James Greensmith added the conversion.Try number two quickly followed with James Brazier finishing a sweeping move from deep,Greensmith adding the two points for a 14-3 lead.An advantage increased at the end of the first quarter when another attack from halfway took the ONs deep into Tring territory.Tring infringed,kick to the corner and Burns dived over for his second and 13th of the season.Locky Brown was next over for his 12th of the season and the ONs try bonus point.Tom Addison chipped over the advancing defence and Heslop gathered the kick to go over.As half time approached Brown picked up from the base of an ONs’ scrum fed Locky Glen and his pass hit Brazier at pace.The winger made ground before finding Heslop in support for try number six.Greensmith converted both touch downs,the first from wideout to take the ONs to a 40-3 lead at half time.

A lead which was increased within 5 minutes of the restart when Addison darted through the narrowest of gaps,his pass putting Brazier in for another long range try.Addison converted from the touch line with the help of the crossbar.Heslop was sin binned but the ONs made light of being a man down when Matt Parry’s typical forceful run from deep made initial inroads before he found Brazier and his 50/22 kick took the ONs into the Tring 22.Lineout possession was secured and play switched infield and back again and Brazier went over in the clubhouse corner to complete his hat trick and Addison added the extras.Heslop returned to the fray and Tring received their second yellow and the ONs took full advantage of the numerical superiority.A throw in on the Tring 22 was ruled not straight but the opposition tried to run possession from the resulting scrum and Joel Grayson making his first appearance since the February fixture intercepted and cantered in.Heslop converted to bring up his 100 points for the season and he rounded of the ONs scoring with his third try and his successful kick took the final score to 68-3.

The ONs meet Oundle away next Saturday in the semi-final of the competition.