The Bulls were grateful for the strong travelling support that helped them win another tight encounter at the death.
OLs started well. With back and forwards running hard, they narrowed the Ives’ defence which left a gap for a score.
The Bulls shook themselves down and began to play. Turning over possession, in the hosts’ 22, the ball was shipped to Tom Woodrow who dummied and shimmied between the defenders to score.
There then followed ten minutes of pressure on the Ives line. From a scrum close in, the attackers finally breached the line to score in the corner.
Ives responded immediately. Winning a penalty in front, they boldly elected to scrummage. Declan O’Neill picked from the base, and the supporting Ashbridge was on hand to crash over.
Again, OLs took the lead. A penalty for being off feet at the breakdown was taken quickly to catch the Ives defence napping.
The topsy turvy nature of the contest continued when, on the stroke of half time, Ives again drew level with a try in the corner by Ed Mortimer.
With both kickers converting two tries, it was 19-19 at the break with all to play for.
OLs started the half well, converting a simple overlap opportunity to go ahead again.
For the next 15 minutes both sides had chances. Ives defence held firm under OL onslaughts. In attack, the Bulls created a number of try scoring chances, often following sharp and elusive running from the back by Ben Fleming. But dropped passes with the line beckoning were frustratingly on view.
Finally, a break by Rees Burns took them close. John Paxton regathered the ball and barrelled his way over.
As throughout the game, OLs went in front again. This time it was an overambitious pass attempt by the Bulls in their own 22, which saw the bouncing ball seized upon by the OLs attack.
Ives fought there was back upfield. Struggling to get close to the home line, it took a break by Declan O’Neill to gain momentum. Breaching the tackle line, the ball went loose. Rees Burns dribbled from 22 metre line. The home full back was unable to gather and Burns joyfully pounced to score.
With both the home kicker and Ives’ Dan Hawkins converting from anywhere, the game was tied at 33-33 with the clock running down.
Ives scrum had been in the ascendant throughout, which was to prove crucial in the dying minutes. Losing possession at the wrong end of the park, Ives drove OLs off their own ball at the scrum. In their desperation to regain possession they conceded a penalty from which Hawkins placed Ives deep in opposition territory.
Keeping the ball alive, Ives pounded the OLs defence. A high shot gave Ives a penalty. With ice in his veins, Hawkins stepped up and chipped the kick over to give Ives the lead for the first time in the match, as the final whistle sounded on a highly entertaining spectacle.
Reflecting on the fine result at the end of the season, DoR Duncan Williams stated, “We proved that if we travel strong and go after every team, we can be a very successful.”