Old Otliensians126 Wallsend 0

OLD Otliensians made a stunning debut in the RFU Junior Vase by running in 20 tries as they recorded a stunning club-record 126-0 win.

Opponents Wallsend travelled from Newcastle minus a number of their regular players and experienced an afternoon to forget.

Winger Connor Bateman led the rout by scoring six tries and kicking four conversions for a personal haul of 38 points.

Eleven different players scored tries while Carl Paterson (7), Bateman (4) and Will Cooper (2) added conversions

The pattern for the afternoon was set in the opening minute when Bateman ran in the first try after his side won good line-out ball.

The dominance of the home pack led to the second try after ten minutes when Ali Campbell won line-out possession and a good drive saw Rob Lofthouse score.

Ali Booth and Bateman quickly added two further tries as the lead stretched to 28-0 after 15 minutes with Paterson’s fourth successful conversion.

Bateman scored touchdowns either side of a penalty try as the lead stretched to 47-0 and there was still time for three more tries before the break.

From a lineout near the visitors’ line captain Sam Featherstone slipped the ball to Jack Smith who crashed over for an unconverted try before Bateman showed his speed to score yet another unconverted try.

On the stroke of half-time Rob Arbuckle and Smith were instrumental in gaining a scrum five metres from the visitors' line. The ball was moved quickly for Alex Murphy to score the tenth try as Otliensians went in at half-time 47-0 up.

Wallsend had their best attacking period at the start of the second half but the Otliensians defence held firm.

Will Prest added the first of the ten second-half tries with Cooper converting.

The rest of the second half was dominated by the home team with fine forward play complementing superb handling and great open rugby by the backs.

Tries followed at regular intervals and the Wallsend cause was disrupted when one of their players was injured.

Tries were scored by Luke Cowdell, Booth, Smith, Ali Campbell following a 70-metre run by Will Cooper one of which was converted by Will Cooper and two by Connor Bateman.

John Offer brought up the100 points with a try from a line-out.

In the last 15 minutes there was a penalty try, a well-deserved score following great backing up by Paddy Phipps and finally a sixth unconverted try by Bateman.

Wallsend’s players kept battling to the end and received generous applause from the home crowd on a day the Otliensians followers will not forget.