A dry, hard, home pitch gave the AEI backs a chance to shine once more and continue to finish off the hard work put in by the forwards. Apart from maintaining the 100% record the game was also notable for two things: S Oxberry fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition by taking the field along with his two sons and J Bott completed a hat-trick of try hat-tricks in consecutive weeks.
A keenly contested first half was kept in the balance until the final five minutes when AEI managed to score two quick tries to go into halftime 17-7 in front through tries from G Bott, J Stretton and C Hadley.
With the lineout not working properly in the first half and derogatory remarks made to the captain for some of his positional choices, changes were made at half time which provided greater functionality to the AEI lineout and greater incision in the back line.
A Daventry side which struggled with disrupting injuries throughout the second half were never able to come to grips (in a literal sense) with full back J Bott’s performance as he showed off his devastating pace, strength and swerve to scythe through the Daventry defence. Not to be outdone by his younger brother, G Bott also added a try to his tally and J Stretton made it 5 tries in his last three games.
Unfortunately AEI again showed their largesse towards the end of games when, buoyed by their success, they attempted to run out of their own 22 only to pass the ball into the hands of a grateful Daventry back to score despite the attentions of J Bott.