After the poor display from the week previous, Forest knew they had to pick thier game up for the challenge ahead.

Two good training sessions and a good pre- match build up, set them in good stead. Although they missed the first tackle of the game they saw out a good first 10 min spell and started to apply the pressure. Just as Forest were starting to dominate Banbury, the ref showed Dacey a yellow card and Forest where down to 14 men.

This didn't stop Forest and they kept pounding the Banbury line but 50/50 passes and some strong D by Banbury, we just couldn't dot the ball down.

Dacey returned to take Forest back to 15 men but only for 2 minutes. Skipper Dean Mooney got shown the Red Card and Forest played with 14 men for the rest of the game.

Going in to half time the score was 3 each, with Forest one man light and playing up hill a big team effort was needed.

The second half began and form the kick off it was Banbury who controlled the game for the first 15 minutes. We saw them kick a penalty then score a fine try to take them 8 points ahead.

From there Forest got some ball and sparked back to life. We started to apply pressure to Banbury but Forest worked thier way to the line and Dacey made up for his 10 min with a good try. Forest missed the conversion which left us trailing by three.

Mistake free rugby and some good attacking saw Forest catch Banbury out wide with a 4 on 1 situation, we got the ball and Chris Phillips burst over against his old club to give Forest a 2 point lead 13 minutes to go.

Banbury kicked off and Forest gave a silly penalty away which Papefus (banbury kicker) converted to then give Banbury a 1 point lead. Forest picked themselves up again and applied more pressure. Banbury kept killing the ball to slow us down and conceded a yellow card. From this penalty Forest put the ball in the corner for a line-out drive, a couple of phases later Hooker Liam Warren worked his way over for the winning try which was converted.

The last 2 minutes Banbury lost there heads and 2 more players were yellow carded. When the final whistle blew the large and loud VP'S crowd were happy that the vp's losing streak had ended!!

To beat Banbury with 15 men is good but with 14 and to play 65 minutes of the game was a good team performance. There is NO RESTING on the Laural's this week and we'll be training just as hard this week for the away game against Northampton Men's Own.

Forest 20:
Tries Paul Dacey
Liam Warren
Chris Phillips
Con John Roux
James Coulthurst

Banbury 14