Wheatley got off to a poor start in their first game in the BBO Premiership. Despite recruiting heavily in the off season, although no World Cup winners for this Oxford based team, Wheatley still had some gelling to do and it showed in this initial outing. Still, we did better than London Welsh in their first outing.

Despite an uncharacteristically vociferous team talk from Captain Poochos, from the kick off, Wheatley couldn’t get organised and were behind early on after the visitors scored after a few missed tackles. Abingdon then piled more misery on to the home side with a simple try scored through some terrible defending.

At 12-0 down, Wheatley finally started to click together - probably aided by an excellent cheering team of at least 10 home fans. Trademark runs from the backs helped make incisions in to the Abingdon half, and a number of Abingdon penalties for not releasing gave Wheatley a penalty from 30m out. New boy Seb “Cankle” Wilson comfortably guided the kick home, and Wheatley were finally in the game.

The joy was short lived as Abingdon got another try before half time, and left Wheatley trailing 17-3 at half time.

Hapless defending from the home side after the break compounded the score line and Wheatley were left fighting for, at best, a losing bonus point. The rest of the second half was one way traffic, until Fido decided to carry on from where he left off last season. Having butchered an earlier opportunity, he managed to out run the defence and score, only for Cankles to shank the conversion. Hilarity ensued when Joe Hobdell said “Do you want a knife and fork with that slice?” Lol.

Abingdon won 34-8. But Wheatley, who now have not won their opening game for at least three seasons, have taken some real positives. New players all over the pitch stood up for selection and showed that there is now a real strength in the club. The rest of the season will be tough, but there are definitely the green shoots to show Wheatley can improve.

The highlight of the afternoon was seeing the newly hench Matt “BeeGee” Gibb, fail miserably in necking a pint, despite being a student, Irish, and possessing facial hair. He let down three demographs with his performance. None of that behaviour from debutant Lil and birthday boy Adam who happily ate down their Gavin “Bruce” Specials.

Littlemore next week. Onwards and upwards.

Words - James Pollard