The Wanderers opened their win account for the Aviva 'A' League season with an a classy bonus point win at Sixways on Monday evening.
With Jordan Onojaife, Tom Collins, Tom Kessell and Howard Packman all crossing the line before half time, a better second half from the hosts could not make up for the deficit and two more tries from the Wanderers secured them their first five points of the new season.
A fine and dry Sixways was graced by a rejuvenated Wanderers side who would put 45 points on its hosts.
The home side were the first off the mark, Tiff Eden sending a penalty over five minutes in. The visitors wasted no time returning the favour with interest though; a period of pressure from the Wanderers saw Onojaife cross the whitewash. Sam Olver knocked over the first of his six conversions before sending a penalty through moments later.
A cross-field kick found Packman out wide and the winger made some ground before offloading inside to Tom Collins who dashed over for his first of two this evening.
Just two minutes later the away side were over again. Kessell snuck through the Cavaliers’ defence to cross the whitewash for the Wanderers’ third try, Olver again adding the extras to put his side 19 points ahead.
The Cavaliers responded and a good period of pressure from the home side earned them their first try. The captain Huw Taylor got on the back of a maul from a line out and claimed the score.
It was to be the Wanderers that had the last word of the half, however, as Packman got on the end of a clever Olver chip through for the try bonus point score as the clock ran down. Olver knocked the conversion over to signal half-time, but not before the referee Daniel Parrott sent Andrew Kitchener to the sin bin for an infringement running up to the try.
With play back underway after the break, Reece Marshall cut a lovely line through the Cavaliers’ defence after the pack got the ball close and scored the Wanderers’ fifth.
The away side looked like scoring again but a stray pass left space for Alex Hearle to collect the ball mid-flight and run in from halfway to score. Eden sent the conversion through.
Another strong attack from the Wanderers left space for Collins to slip past his opposite out wide and score his second and the away side’s sixth. Olver added the extras in his final act of the game.
The home side began to attack and a yellow card for Marshall in the 73rd minute gave them a chance to close the gap. Josh Nott got over for the final score of the game, Robbie Keith’s conversion going a long way wide of the posts.
The Wanderers’ continued to push but could not add a seventh score and James Grayson sent the ball into the stands once the clock was up to see the Wanderers secure their first win in the Aviva ‘A’ League.
TEAMS
WANDERERS: Furbank; Collins, Estelles, Hutchinson, Packman, Olver, Kessell; Waller, Clare, Hill, J Onojaife, Moon, Clark, Ludlam, Bennett
Subs – Marshall, Beesley, Denman, Parkins, D Onojaife, Elvers, Emery, Grayson
CAVALIERS: Strange; Hughes, Stelling, Butler, Hearle, Eden, Glashan; Bower, Singleton, Alo, Kitchener, Scotland-Williamson, Taylor, Xiourouppa, Dodd
Subs – Dickinson, Appiah, White, Hewitt, Fowles, Nott, Keith, Stapley
TIMELINE
5mins CAVALIERS Pen Eden 3-0
12mins WANDERERS Try J Onojaife Con Olver 3-7
14mins CAVALIERS Miss Pen Eden 3-7
17mins WANDERERS Pen Olver 3-10
23mins WANDERERS Try Collins Con Olver 3-17
25mins WANDERERS Try Kessell Con Olver 3-24
33mins CAVALIERS Try Taylor 8-24
37mins WANDERERS Try Packman Con Olver 8-31
38mins CAVALIERS Yellow Card Kitchener 8-31
HALF-TIME CAVALIERS 8 WANDERERS 31
48mins WANDERERS Try Mashall Con Olver 8-38
53mins CAVALIERS Try Hearle Con Eden 15-38
63mins WANDERERS Try Collins Con Olver 15-45
73mins WANDERERS Yellow Card Marshall 15-45
74mins CAVALIERS Try Nott 20-45
FULL-TIME CAVALIERS 20 WANDERERS 45
