Old Priorians advanced to the last 16 of the Papa John's Commitment Cup with a 52-31 win against Brentwood, in a thoroughly entertaining game at Twyford Avenue.

OPs got off to the perfect start, scoring with just 70 seconds on the clock through Maynard Ahukanna, who became the oldest try scorer in 1st XV history in the process. There was further joy for the Twisters as captain Damien O'Dwyer's 25 metre break led to a touchdown and a 14-0 lead after six minutes of play.

Brentwood eventually shook off the early cobwebs and a rolling maul saw them reduced arrears to 14-5, only for OPRFC to to then strike back, Ed Moss' good supporting run giving him an easy path in under the posts. Another two points via Cian McBride made it 21-5 with less than a quarter of an hour played.

The warm and sunny conditions allowed for plenty of running rugby and both sides looked threatening going forward, with the visitors next to score as they ably punctured the OPs backline for their second try, converted for 21-12.

Yet for all their attacking endeavour, Brentwood were profligate in giving away penalties ; a kick into the 22 set the basis for a Twisters lineout move, resulting in an irresistible rolling maul where hooker Carlos Gomez-Rose was the one to come up with the ball, minutes after conceding.

Elliot Lycett was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on shortly after, potentially giving Brentwood another route back into the tie, yet OPs weathered the storm to keep the Essex side out, doing well to hold them up on the line.

Restored to full complement, Josh Chippendale gathered an opposition kick through, dancing his way through the defence before successively deft offloads set Ethan Wetherell into space, getting the final pass away to Gomez-Rose whose perfectly timed run saw him score his second of the day and the finest try of the afternoon in what would be the last meaningful play of the half, OPRFC heading into the break 33-12 up.

With the wind beginning to wend its way over West London as the second half commenced, OPs once again went down to fourteen men, Ethan Wetherell the recipient of the yellow card for not retreating ten metres in the red zone.

Unable to bear any fruit from that visit into opposition territory, Brentwood did eventually manage to close the gap, a neat line piercing through the centres to make it 33-19 with half an hour left. The momentum carried as a modicum of complacency crept into the Twisters game, their lead cut to seven points almost immediately after as their opponents pulled off a similar move to bring excitement back into the tie.

One could sense the next score could be decisive and it fell the way of OPs, working the ball wide -after some hard graft following the restart - to gift Elliot Lycett a try on debut. McBride wasn't able to convert but some breathing room was created, 38-26 as it was.

Some semblance of calm fell upon the two sides heading into the last quarter, a mixture of heat and physicality beginning to take its toll on the players ; however, a frenetic final ten minutes began with an unconverted Brentwood try to make it 38-31, soon turning to farce after the restart, as no acceptable match ball could be found.

The short delay may have taken the wind out of Brentwood's sails, Josh Chippendale's well deserved try on 74 minutes swinging things back in the Twisters favour ; Mishka Fibbens rounded off the day's scoring in the final play, Old Priorians winning 52-31.

These were two well matched sides that looked to run the ball at any given opportunity, the clinical nature of the OPs finishing perhaps the biggest difference between the teams.

OPRFC now face and away trip to Thurrock next weekend as they look for a spot in the quarter finals.

OPRFC SCORERS

T : Ahukanna, O'Dwyer, Moss, Gomez-Rose 2, Lycett, Chippendale, Fibbens

C : McBride 6