Final Score: Bicester 14 – 36 Bletchley

Bletchley 1XV bounced back in style on Saturday, claiming a convincing 36–14 bonus-point victory away at Bicester in Round Two of the Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern North League.

The visitors burst out of the gates, with centre Elliott Hales striking inside two minutes. Moments later, he was over again — this time thanks to a superb kick from Watkins, followed by Hales’ relentless chase. Forcing a turnover at the breakdown, he dominated his opposition, stole the ball and finished clinically for his second try.

Bletchley’s attacking intent continued, with Archie Barrett powering through the Bicester line at 16 minutes and Hugo Govett slicing the defence apart with a well-timed run just after the half-hour mark. Watkins converted Hales’ opener and Govett’s score, giving the visitors a commanding 0–24 half-time lead.

Throughout the match, Bletchley showed their quality with a string of devastating line breaks, consistently breaching Bicester’s defensive line and keeping them on the back foot.

After the restart, Kyle Gibbings muscled his way over on 53 minutes before Hales completed his hat-trick with a well-taken finish in the 74th minute, with Watkins again adding the extra 2 points.

Bicester rallied late, rewarded with converted tries in the 62nd and 78th minutes, but by then Bletchley’s dominance had long since sealed the contest.

Defensively, Ed Findlay and Jamie Rice stood tall with key tackles that cut down Bicester’s attacking threats, while Aaron Hughes delivered a complete performance — carrying hard, disrupting play, and even snatching an interception. His efforts earned him a deserved Man of the Match award.

The win came despite setbacks, with Kai Fagan and Tom Stainsby both leaving the field through injury in the first half. Everyone at the club wishes them a swift recovery and we look forward to seeing them back on the field soon.

Chief Rugby Officer Paul Allen praised the intent shown by the squad:
“The first half we showed what we can really do rugby wise. The bonus point is important in what will be a tight league. The team demonstrated what we’ve been talking about this week and the squad are showing the ambition we’re aiming for this season.”

Try’s: Hales (2', 5', 74') Barrett (16'), Govett (32'), Gibbings (53')
Conversions: Watkins (2', 32', 74')

MOTM was awarded to Bletchley prop Aaron Hughes for his stellar performance particularly in the scrum and in attack.

Bletchley now turn their attention to the start of their cup campaign at home to Vipers this Saturday at Manor Fields, 15:00 kick-off. We’d love to see a strong home crowd getting behind the boys — so come down to the club, enjoy the rugby, and show your support!