Category: Sports News

THE blustery, cold, wet weather last Saturday (13/12/), did neither side any favours in this league clash between Chinnor (Oxen) Vets XV and Reading Abbey 3rd?s, the ground conditions ensuring that this was never going to be a pretty match but one for the true rugby fan as the Oxens’ progress continues.

The game was a close affair with both teams slugging it out in the mud for the first half an hour during which, apart from a missed penalty from Reading, neither side came close to breaking the deadlock. Then, with five minutes to go to half time, Chinnor was awarded a penalty five yards from Abbey line. A quick (ish) tap from Jeremy Philpott allowed the scrum half to dart under the on-rushing defence to dot the ball down for the first score of the match leaving the half time score 5 ? 0 to the Veterans from Chinnor RFC.

Shortly after the re-start, Abbey used the blindside effectively and broke the Chinnor defence and following several breaks from the back of the scrum, kicked their conversion to make the score 5 ? 7 to Reading Abbey with half an hour remaining.

Shortly after the Reading Abbey score, Chinnor drove their way back in to the Reading Abbey half, forced a penalty for Dave Wells to step up and slot it home for a further 3 points, making the score 8 ? 7 with 20 ? 25 minutes remaining.

A welcome return for his first game of this season enabled John Vaughan to give the referee the benefit of his experience during the second half. Counting five scrum halves in the back line, Chinnor were never without a voice on the pitch and in the end the vast experience and the great team spirit within this Chinnor side saw them close the game out with an 8-7 win to jump from 7th to 4th in the league with three games in hand.

Chinnor Oxen (Vets) XV ? 8 v Reading Abbey 3rd XV – 7

With a couple of weeks off over Christmas, let’s hope the Oxen can carry the momentum in to 2009.

Chinnor RFC Oxen (Vets) XV: Mike Bailey, Alan Beveridge, Steve Bridges, Tim DeGlanville, Paul Ewens, Neal Gilbert, Josh Hill, Tony Howells, Doug Humphries, Craig Jones, Jeremy March, Jeremy Philpott, Dave Ratcliffe, Stuart Reynolds, John Sellars, Craig Smith, Andre van der Mewe, John Vaughan, Mike Wiltshire, Dave Wells, Tim Wright

THE old guard of the Chinnor RFC Oxen(Vets) XV ensured their march up the mighty Thames Valley INVITATIONAL League continues, when they went to Farnham Common to play a much fancied Drifters 2nds XV last Saturday (6/12/).
Fielding a largely unchanged side from their 33 ? 0 thrashing of a previously undefeated Marlow 4th team some two weeks ago, they arrived with confidence mixed with a little uncertainty.

There was an enforced change at loose head seeing an interchanging of the Craigs with Smith making way for Jones, Mike Wiltshire coming in to Hook, ?Stumpy? reprising his role at Tight Head, Messrs Reynolds & DeGlanville at 2nd Row and a back row comprising of Jon Brooks at 8, Mike ?No Kit? Bailey on the open side and Neal Gilbert on the blind.

The Oxen reaped the benefit of a hugely experienced back line, with a guest appearance from Bill Deely and further comprising of Doug Humphries, Dave Wells, Josh Hill, John Sellars, Tim Wright, Ben Forward, Paul Ewens, a farewell performance by Jamie Spencer and a 2nd half cameo from Jeremy Philpott.

The story was almost a carbon copy of the Marlow match with the back row starving the opposition of any meaningful possession and the backs looking dangerous every time they got the ball, meaning that Drifters never stood a chance, even in their own back yard. The tries came from Tim, Wright, Mike Wiltshire & Jon Brooks, Dave Wells slotting each of the conversions to ensure the extra points, and a consolation score for the Drifters making the Chinnor side eventual 21 ? 5 winners.

With a break in League fixtures for Christmas, can the Oxen keeping the momentum going? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, the other teams in the League are looking at the results with nervous interest.

HELLENIC LEAGUE CUP – 29/11/08 – Match Report; Thame United 0, Trowbridge Town 1

TROWBRIDGE Town play in the Hellenic League division 1 West, where they currently occupy 16th place, having recorded only two league wins this season. Thame, of course, play in division 1 East where
coincidentally, they also lie in 16th place and also have only two league wins. On paper therefore, there should have been nothing to choose between the two teams and so it proved when the teams met last
Saturday.

The long journey from Trowbridge however proved worthwhile, as the visitor’s managed to score whereas, although Thame created several chances, they were unable to find the back of their opponents’
net.

The match, which was played in near freezing conditions, was played at pace with both teams showing plenty of endeavour, but very little
finishing ability. The first half was goalless with neither goalkeeper really tested. Thame’s best first half chance came from a throw in, on the right which Graeme Catlin collected before turning and hitting a
good cross, from the edge of the area, which Mark Jones headed inches over the crossbar.

Thame had their best spell of the game after the restart, with Matt Graves forcing a good save, and Sam Cowan going close. The deadlock was broken in the 67th minute when, following a Thame corner, the ball
was cleared to visiting striker Guy Rowley in space on the visitor’s right wing. Rowley made a good break-away run before passing to 16-year-old substitute, Jamie Jordan, who beat Searl from 10?yards.

Thame brought on substitutes and played three up front, but although they pressurised the visitor’s goal, they also continued to miss their chances.

Thame United: Searl, Thompson, Graves (Newell), N Rhodes (Ricketts), Hocking, Cowan Connelly, EL-Kassir (Hoskins), Catlin, Jones, Wallace.

Thame travel to nearby Chinnor for a league match next Saturday, December 6. Kick off is at 2pm. They also play Chinnor on December 20 at Wallingford in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup, which is now United’s only chance of silverware.

MATCH REPORT – Chinnor 13 pts Havant 24 pts, November 29.
ALTHOUGH Chinnor were way off their best they were still very much in the game up to the 68th minute. Trailing by just 4 points and with the Havant No.8 Heasman in the sin-bin, the situation was decidedly on the up from a Chinnor perspective. They were progressing down the field and moving the ball from a series of rucks, when, calamity. A loose pass gave winger Thompson the easiest of interceptions, which he gratefully accepted, to run in a try from some 65 metres out. With Molyneux adding the conversion, it was a blow of immense proportions to an already below par Chinnor performance.

That this was the second intercept try they had served up, along with another gifted try, just added to the grief.

Chinnor were unable to pick second rowers, Duncan Williams and Sam Black, due to injury which meant Harry Jackman moving from No.8 into the second row, and Ed Rixon taking his place. Angus Neilson came back to No.7 after his enforced lay-off and Pip Seymour returned from his ankle injury.

Chinnor started in a fairly lack-lustre manner which they had difficulty in shrugging off for the whole game. It was certainly not down to a lack of commitment which was there in abundance; it was a succession of basic errors which let them down. The main culprit was their inability to secure the loose ball. They were also prone to forcing the final pass when the ideal was almost always retaining the possession they had. They also allowed themselves to be bullied around both the base of the scrummage and the ruck which showed, in some ways, that Havant were more streetwise.

An interception set Havant on the way which they capitalised on with Heasman going over from an almost non-existent defence, due to Chinnor being up in attack on their ball. A penalty from Ben Hewitt reduced the deficit but within seconds Havant were over the line again. A sloppy pass, to no-one in particular allowed Sullivan to pick up the ball and flop over the line. With Molyneux converting, Chinnor were two tries adrift. Another Ben Hewitt penalty gave a half-time scoreline of 12 pts to 6 in Havant’s favour.

A well worked try by Morris followed an astute box kick from scrum half, Liam Davenport, who played well throughout, putting Havant further ahead. Chinnor then came back, and from easily their best passage of the game, Richard Williams was given an overlap to touch down near the posts. With Ben Hewitt converting it was very much game on. However the intercept try put paid to Chinnor’s hopes. Their cause was not helped when Ben Hewitt took a high tackle and had to leave the field.

The game then see-sawed and although Angus Neilson went over the line only to be called back for a forward pass, the game that Chinnor put down as a banker came unstuck.

PENN AND HAZLEMERE implemented the perfect ?smash and grab? raid on Saturday (22/11, as they left the Hithercroft Stadium with three points, despite being given a lesson in football by a Thame United side who did everything but score.
United opened brightly with both Adam Rhodes and Mark Jones going close from 20 yards in the first 10 minutes. After 12 minutes Thame keeper, Paul Searl, was called in to action for one of the few times during the game, saving well to his left after Rino Sepede had got the wrong side of his marker. After a quarter of an hour, right winger Ben Connelly made the first of many jinking runs that tormented the young Penn left back for the remainder of the game, seeing his cross cause a goalmouth scramble from which Thame were unable to score. Ten minutes later and Mark Jones re-paid the compliment, crossing to Connelly who from only eight yards managed to place his effort straight at the keeper. Two minutes later and Penn had another let off when a Nik Rhodes effort was deflected wide.

With the second half only a few minutes old, Mark Jones had a great chance to give Thame the lead, heading just wide from a Connelly cross. A few minutes later and Thame thought they had taken the lead, only for the referee to blow-up for an infringement as the ball hit the back of the net. The only goal of the game came in the 58th minute when Penn captain Gary Finch was given too much time on the edge of the box and, whilst his shot looked to be covered by Searl, it took a wicked deflection off the out stretched foot of Nik Rhodes and in to the corner of the net. For the remainder of the game Thame pressed for an equalizer, with Connelly, Jones and Graeme Catlin all going close. However, Thame were unable to find the equaliser and Penn left with the three points.

THAME UNITED 0, PENN & TYLERS GREEN 1

Thame United: Searl, Thompson, Graves, N.Rhodes, Newell, Cowan, Connelly, A Rhodes, Catlin (Hoskin), Jones, Ricketts.

Thame United have a home game against Trowbridge Town in the Supplementary League Cup on November 29, (3:00pm kick off at Hithercroft, Wallingford).

LAST Saturday saw an earlier kick off for Chinnor RFC Oxen XV at home to Marlow 4th team, in the Thames Valley Invitational league.
Having having been kept waiting for nearly an hour to kick off, the Oxen started sprightly and with their backs to the wind, were soon in control of the match. Tries from Dave Wells, Jon Brooks and two from Paul Ewens in the first half, were all converted by Dave Wells and the Oxen were 28-0 up at the turn around.

The match was closely fought with Marlow having the better of things in the scrummage. However, with a Chinnor back row of Jon Brooks, Steve Bridges and Mike Bailey, Marlow were starved of any purposeful possession. There were turnovers aplenty allowing a truely vintage set of backs, featuring Jeremy Philpott, Doug Humphries, Dave Wells, John Sellars, Tim Wright, Paul Ewens, Craig James, Neal Gilbert and Josh Hill to make the breaks and to pressurise the opposition at will.

There was only one score in the second half with young Josh Hill getting on the scorecard after several attempts meaning that Chinnor Oxen won this league match 33-0. Depriving Marlow of any points at all was the icing on the cake. If they had used the boot of their No 10 to better advantage the story may have been different.

A big thank you to those that turned out to play for the Oxen, with special mention to Captain mMrvel, Tim DeGlanville. Gareth ‘Stumpy’ Davis gave a truely inspirational stint at Prop and Craig Smith made his debut as the other prop. Stu Reynolds had the best game he has had for a long time.

Next Oxen XV league match v Drifters 2nds away on the December 6.

Dave Ratcliffe

EDF National Trophy Round 2 – National (North)- Saturday, November 28 – Chinnor 13 Macclesfield 17; MATCH REPORT:

Macclesfield, currently lying 4th in National 3 North, fielded twelve 1st team and three 2nd team players. Chinnor, conversely, lying 12th in National League 3 South, fielded twelve 2nd team and three 1st team players. Despite many opportunities to win, Chinnor narrowly failed with their adventurous selection policy, going down 13-17.

The game started brightly with Chinnor receiving the kick off and putting together 4 minutes of continuous and speedy action which brought them to the visitor’s 22. Pressure on Macclesfield was only relieved when the referee whistled for Chinnor holding on.
Macclesfield, however, opened the scoring with a penalty goal from their fly half, Ross Winney on 10 minutes. Macclesfield increased their lead 12 minutes later when, following a powerful Macclesfield
scrum, open side Chris Jones touched down for Winney to convert to give Macclesfield a 10-0 score.

Newly available Angus Neilson then opened Chinnor’s account a few minutes later when the alert Bob Baker took a quick tap penalty to release Neilson to canter over for a try. Chinnor were showing that they were beginning to get the measure of their opponents with
adventurous attacking, often led by Alex Wallace in the unfamiliar position of fly half. However, all of Chinnor’s good work was undone seconds before half time when a speculative Macclesfield kick ahead
was palmed by a Chinnor hand into the arms of the speedy Macclesfield left winger Josh Fowles. Fowles slipped the ball to Robert McDermott who, avoiding some weak tackling from Chinnor, scored in the corner.
The try was converted by Winney. Half time came with Macclesfield leading 17-5.

The second half went mostly Chinnor’s way with Macclesfield failing to add to their half time score. Joe Robinson slotted a penalty goal for Chinnor in the 49th minute. Turning over a Macclesfield scrum, Chinnor worked the ball to replacement Harry Hillier who could not grasp the low ball, with the undefended line beckoning. Neilson, clearly relishing his return to rugby, added a try to Chinnor’s score to give
a final match score of 13-17 in favour of Macclesfield.

Macclesfield relied on a forward game which showed good set piece at scrum and line out and did just enough to win. Chinnor’s 2s were clearly a match for their visitors and had they taken all their kicks,
as Macclesfield had done, they would have added a winning 7 points to their score. Added to the dropped ball with a clear line beckoning, Chinnor had ample opportunities to win this match. However, coach
Jason Bowers was clear in his commitment in an interview before the match with the Oxford Mail: “It is about giving the squad a game,” said Bowers, who opted for similar tactics in Chinnor’s first-round
victory over Lydney.
“It is a good opportunity to give players a rest and try people in different positions as well.”

Ed Rixon was a rock in shoring up a Chinnor scrum that waxed and waned all match. Alex Wallace stood out for his incisive running and smart decision making. The bravery of the selection choice was vindicated and, with a rub of the green, Chinnor in the guise of their second team could well have entered the next round of the cup. It all shows
what a competitive squad is available to both teams.

Scorers: Chinnor Neilson (2 tries), Robinson (pen goal) Macclesfield: Jones (try), McDermott (try), Winney (pen goal, 2 conv)

MATCH REPORT- November 15-Report by Bill O’Donnell.

EALING prevailed in this all action match by 46 points to 26, but Chinnor will take many positives away.

Chinnor opened the scoring on 4 minutes with a well hit penalty goal. Ealing hit back shortly afterwards with a try from centre Joe Price. Chinnor got back to a 6-5 lead when Hewitt struck another penalty goal. With increasing influence from their centres Price and James, Ealing began to run some fast paced patterns with Hodkinson scoring an unconverted try to give Ealing a 10 – 6 lead.
With a delightful move of their own, Wallace engineered a likely score only for his pass to be dropped with an unopposed 5 metre run in. Sadly, a similar thing happened again in the match for Chinnor who seemed to be out of luck when scoring opportunities presented themselves. Hewitt stepped up to give Chinnor some hope with another penalty goal to reach halftime with Ealing just 10-9 ahead.

After the interval, Ealing stepped up their game considerably with the driving and forceful play of ex-Wasp flanker Mark Lock increasingly influential. Three minutes after the restart, centre James ran through the away defence to set up a sweet try for Tom Parker, converted by fly half Ward. However, Chinnor showed some of their own magic. Arthur Ellis reacted quickly to a free quick and surged down the pitch, offloading the perfect pass for scrum half Prescott, rapid in support, who touched down under the posts. Hewitt converted to put Chinnor just one point behind at 17-16.

Ealing then hit a purple patch with three tries in five minutes. The tries came from Joe Price and two from the extremely quick Ealing wing, Howells ? one of which was a 65 metre dash after intercepting a probable Chinnor score. Converting two, Ealing lead 36-16.

With great credit, Chinnor never lost their commitment and were rewarded in the 64th minute when Prescott finished off a period of Chinnor forward pressure to score a try wide out to make the score 36-21. Wallace then struck to add another try to bring the score to 36-26. A penalty goal from Ward and another converted try for his hat trick from Howells saw Ealing through to the end by 46 ? 26.

To the neutral this was a high intensity, all action match thanks largely to the endeavour of both teams to keep the ball moving. Great credit should also go to the match referee, on exchange from South Africa, who showed how top quality refereeing can benefit a match. Chinnor were eventually undone by sheer pace and showed how having all your wingers injured can hurt you. Chinnor?s Ellis and Prescott had good matches and the team as a whole did well in the face of some frightening pace.

THAME Town Council is to consider a request from the Thame Football Partnership, to fund a quarter of a million pound shortfall to build new football facilities for the town.
In a presentation to the council’s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee last night, the Chair of the Thame Football Partnership, Jake collinge, said that the total Capital cost for the new facility, which will include a stadium, 9 pitches, 170 car parking spaces, a function room, changing and match official rooms, is

Bicester Town 0, Thame United 1
MATCH REPORT 15/11/08 – Oxfordshire Senior Cup

It is six years ago that Thame United won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup for the second consecutive season. Since then the club has been evicted from its ground and been relegated twice. Nevertheless, Thame
played well on Saturday and beat higher league opposition in a close game at Bicester, winning by the only goal in the first round of the competition.

The home side had marginally more possession, but were unable to penetrate an increasingly well-organised Thame defence.

Bicester had the better of the opening exchanges but, against the run of play, Thame went ahead in the 14th minute. Following a home attack, the ball was cleared to Ben Connelly on the right near the halfway
line. Thame’s on-form winger made a good run, beating his marker on the way, and hitting a perfect cross over the home keeper’s head and finding the unmarked Mark Jones who finished confidently, at the far
post. Thame could have increased their lead a few minutes before halftime when, what looked like a well rehearsed set piece from a corner, resulted in Nik Rhodes forcing an excellent save from the Bicester keeper.

There was a moment of drama six minutes into the second half. A Bicester attack saw the ball crossed from the right and a Thame defender unfairly stopped an attacking forward from heading it. The
referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Luckily for Thame, Chris Johnson placed his spot kick too close to Thame keeper Paul Searl who blocked it. Johnson reached the rebound first and fired another shot which Searl again blocked. As the ball ran free, both the keeper and Johnson went for it and the ball seemed to cross the goal line. The referee judged however that Johnson had fouled Searl and Thame were awarded a free kick.

The remainder of the game was end-to-end stuff with Thame substitute Tom Hoskin hitting the post and Searl making some fine saves at the other end. There was a moment of concern when, within a minute of
Thame bringing on their final substitute, team captain, and central defender Dave Hocking was injured. Thame adjusted their formation however with Sam Cowan moving to defence and Hoskin moving to
midfield, whilst Hocking hobbled on up front. The final few minutes saw the Thame goal under siege but they held onto the lead, and will face local rivals Chinnor in the next round.

Thame United: Searl, Newell, Graves, N. Rhodes, Hocking, Cowan, Connelly (El-Kassir), A. Rhodes, Catlin (Hoskin), Jones (Williams),
Wallace.