A committed and gritty performance gave Camps a thoroughly deserved first away win of the year on a memorable morning in the mists of North Worcestershire, against a stubborn and determined opposition.
First blood went to the hosts against the run of play, several missed tackles allowing them an easy path to the line to open the scoring. Camps responded well however, putting together several good phases of play before the forwards bundled over the line, George emerging from the heap with the ball and claiming the score. Camps didn’t always have the rub of the green with decisions and missed out on taking the lead when a Theo penalty was adjudged to have gone outside the line of the post.
On OH’s next visit to the Camps 22, a large gap opened up in the defence allowing them to take the lead once more, but Camps responded with a prolonged spell of possession, which allowed Kayin to sneak over in the corner. It looked for a while as if Camps would sneak another score just before half time to take the lead, Ben E and Jamie leading the charge and dominating the lineout together, but instead it was the hosts who grabbed a third just before the break with a 50m sprint from the winger; 15-10 to Old Hales at half time.
Early in the second half some sustained pressure allowed OH to stretch the lead to 20-10, some strong ball carrying and good follow-up getting them over the whitewash. Only some heroic tackling in midfield from Ben I-W, Ojas and Jack S, and clever mauling from the forwards pack, prevented OH from extending their lead any further.
The final quarter belonged entirely to Camps though, with first Lewis barrelling over the line at close range, converted by Theo, before a breakaway opportunist try by Ben S, showing great control and vision throughout his second game in a row at no 9, giving Camps a 20-22 lead, with the conversion just shaving the outside of the post. Nerves were shredded and nails bitten on the touchline with much checking of watches, before first an excellent defensive set and then great vison from Theo with a kick to space in the far corner putting the defence under pressure, on which man of the match and lineout king Jamie capitalised to steal a try and seal the win 20-27.
Camps were made to work hard right until the final whistle for the win, but sheer guts and teamwork saw them through against a big physical opposition.