Peterborough see off late Olney threat

Olney were put under immediate pressure by Peterborough when the home side took the ball from the kick off and scored in the corner, gaining and immediate lead, 7-0.

From the restart Peterborough kicked deep into Olney’s half, won a line out and set up a driving maul to score again, unconverted, leaving them 12-0 ahead.

Olney managed to regroup but an incisive run from the opposition fly half destroyed the defence and converted, this took Peterborough 19-0 ahead inside the first ten minutes. The Olney pack were under pressure in the set scrums but made an impression in the loose as the forwards claimed the ball and fed the ball out to Phil Bowden on the wing who outpaced his opposite number to score. Olney were on the board 19-7 down.

Although Olney were under pressure, another try came again for Phil Bowden, the conversion putting Olney back in the game, 19-14.

Peterborough replied however, with a great run from their fly half who scored to put them 24-14 in the lead.

Peterborough kept the pressure on in the second half, gaining the put in at a scrum and from a driving maul forcing over the line to go 29-14 up.

From the restart, Olney, taking a leaf out of the Peterborough book, counter attacked. They were rewarded with a penalty from which they ran the ball producing a good play combining the backs and forwards. Jack Sutton finished the move with a try converted by James Hawken, score: 29–21.

From another scrum Peterborough scored in the corner, adding a conversion to go 36-21 ahead.

Following the restart Olney charged down a kick and took play to the home 5m line. They followed this by winning a line out on the home side’s throw, from a scrum close to the goal line. Sutton forced over and touched down for an unconverted try to close the gap to 36-26, with 10 minutes to go.

But despite a spirited effort from the home side, Peterborough held on for the win.