RUGBY UNION: MISSED opportunities cost Old Leamingtonians as they had to settle for a losing bonus point against Ledbury.
The game was summed up in the opening kick when OLs were penalised for having a man in front of the ball.
The penalty allowed Ledbury’s winger to run unchallenged down the right and score under the posts with less than a minute on the clock.
Playing down the slope, OLs started to take charge of the game – applying relentless pressure to the Ledbury defence.
The home side were unable to venture out of their own half of the field.
But all too often OLs wasted chances to break through gaps in the defence, with possession wasted by poor passing and dropped balls.
Pressure up front eventually paid off when the ball was forced to the Ledbury goal line, scrum half Toby Lord picked up the ball and touched down. Though there was frustration when the conversion was missed, OLs trailed by only two points.
An inch perfect cross kick from centre David Canning appeared to allow winger Liam Wellings to touch down in the corner in legal fashion.
But his try was ruled out when the match offical concluded Wellings was positioned in front of the kicker when the ball was played.
From the penalty Ledbury kicked into the OLs half and, from a resulting maul, the home side were awarded a penalty that was converted.
OLs continued to take the game to Ledbury, but again they created their own problems with poor handling and passing at the forefront of their faults.
With OLs still in charge of the game, a long kick prior to half time was collected by a Ledbury player – who subsequently dodged his way past the OLs defence to score the home side’s second try.
Though the try was unconverted, it did mean the hosts led 15-5 at half time – despite spending the majority of the first half inside their own half of the field.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with OLs doing most of the attacking, but indiscipline and poor handling again cost them dear.
Ledbury converted two penalties to move 16 points clear before OLs started to play a more forward dominated game that created difficulties for Ledbury.
Front row Reece Jones then touched down twice for OLs as the game looked like turning on its head.
But, despite repeated pressure on the Ledbury defence, no further points were scored as Ledbury won 21-15.
OLs slip to fifth in the league as a result.
This week, they take on Manor Park at home. Kick off is at 2.15pm.
