Brackley ran in 10 tries on Saturday in what was a dominant 62-14 win at home over Wellingborough O.G's.
The hosts have started 2020 in fine form and were looking to continue that against a team that really challenged them earlier in the season. Brackley got off to an ideal start when second row Angus Leigh went on a barnstorming run from the Wellingborough 22 to score under the posts. Quite quickly it became clear that only Brackley's ill-discipline would allow the visitors into the game as the hosts looked sharp when moving the ball wide with good interplay between forwards and backs.
The second score was a product of the backs and forwards working together and was arguably try of the match as Brackley moved the ball wide from their own 22, eventually finding the hands of young flanker Cameron Corbett, who showed great footballing ability to grubber kick ahead very close to the touchline before diving on the loose ball to score. Then once again the hosts were able to get outside the visitors from deep, before a nice inside pass put fly half Andy Mawle under the sticks.
Brackley's bonus point score came minutes later as prop Graeme Cartmell went on a strong run straight from the kick off to set a platform in the Wellingborough 22, then a couple of phases later number 8 Matt Lowe crashed his way over. With five minutes still left in the half, young winger Jamie Cockerill got his first senior try as he scored in the corner and this was soon followed by a second score for Lowe as Brackley went into halftime 36-0 up.
All credit to Wellingborough though as they clearly found their second wind at the start of the half, taking advantage of Brackley penalties to get themselves in the home side's 22. From there the visitors were able to take advantage of yet another Brackley penalty to sneak over for a try of their own. For the next 20 minutes, Wellingborough showed some good defence as the hosts struggled to find the whitewash. It took a lovely line from replacement centre Mark Ashton to set up Cartmell for Brackley's first try of the half.
This seemingly opened the floodgates once again as after some sustained Brackley pressure, centre Henry Pearson was able to finish off a slick first phase backs move. Next to score was winger Gareth Rees as the backs once again showed what they can do off the back of a strong set piece before moments later skipper Chris Goodall added a 10th try with a powerful run from the halfway line. Wellingborough did get a final consolation try with only a couple of minutes remaining, as Brackley won convincingly 62-14.
Brackley will be looking to continue this fine form into February as they take a bus trip to Leicester next week to take on an always powerful Aylestone St. James.
