Category: Sports News

MATCH REPORT – Cleve 22 pts Chinnor 26 pts – 03/11/07
ANOTHER nail- biter – Not for the faint hearted this! The game lived up to its billing with top of the table Chinnor visiting Cleve, who were in third position and defending a two year undefeated home record.
Chinnor were forced to make five changes from last week’s starting line-up. Skipper Matt Hutchins, Harry Jackman, Alan Cawston and Joe Winpenny were all absent from the pack with the unfortunate Sam Portland sidelined with a broken leg. Their places were taken by Joe Iosefo, Patrick Stennings, Andy Millburn, Adam Hastings and Pip Seymour.

The game kicked off in perfect conditions with Chinnor unable to get their hands on the ball for the first 15 minutes, during which time they found themselves 16 points in arrears. The referee was quick to penalise any indescretions and with Chinnor committing three of these, the deadly boot of Cleve’s Matt Spencer made them pay. Three penalty goals from Spencer and a well worked try from Snach Ajuwa with Spencer adding the conversion left Chinnor stunned and facing an uphill battle. They got back into the game after 30 minuters, when Jaike Carter made ground on ther right wing and found the ever present Zane Winslade with a pass back inside to score wide-out. James Cathcart added the conversion. Chinnor then spurned a kick in front of the posts taking a quick tap penalty instead which came to nothing as they were held up just short of the line. At half time Cleve led by 16 points to 7 but Chinnor were well back in the game.

Chinnor began the second half in storming style. Owen Gustafson made a break after the forwards set up a good platform, allowing Tom Whelan to force his way over the line and score his first try for Chinnor in three years. With Cathcart adding the extras, Chinnor were back in the hunt. It was now Chinnor making the play, but with the referee finding a couple more reasons to penalise them, one of these leading to a Grizz McQuire sin-binning, the unerring boot of Spencer made them pay. Two flashes of top drawer rugby them won the game for Chinnor. It was Ben Hewitt who, entering the line at pace and running at a good angle, was responsible on both occasions. He finished the first incursion by scoring himself, running 50 metres in the process. His second foray into the line set up Pip Seymour, who took the pass from Hewitt and ran hard to score wide out. With Cathcart adding one of the conversions, Chinnor took the lead for the first time. They then had to defend their line desperately in the last seven minutes without Andy Millburn who was yellow carded for entering the side of a ruck. The fact that they scrummaged twice near their line with seven men, and held up on both occasions, showed their resilience and fortitude. Young Robert Baker, on his debut, did very well at this most testing of times.

So, at the final whistle it was Chinnor who ran out the winners and deservedly so in scoring four tries to one.

SEE FULL STORY – Link

CHINNOR 1st XV 29 vs. Bracknell 1st XV 23
Saturday, 27th October 2007, SW Division One
A great performance by the 1st XV on Saturday, takes Chinnor RFC to the top of the league – Match report to follow.

Photo: Chinnor winger, Jaike Carter, runs in a try

Chinnor’s next match will be against Cleve, Away, on November 3, kick off 2.30pm.

Thame United 1, Milton United 2; 27/10/07 SBJ Cup

THAME faced Hellenic Premier Division club, Milton United, in the first round of the league cup last Saturday, losing 2-1. Thame met Milton three times last season with Milton winning all of those encounters by the same 2-1 score line.
The turning point of this entertaining match came after 15 minutes when Thame were reduced to 10 men. At the time they were winning 1-0 and looked as if they could win the match, but from there on Milton?s one man advantage showed and they narrowly won.
Thame?s goal came in the second minute when an Adam Rhodes free kick eluded the visiting defence and the ball bounced, before Nathan Jack headed it in from close range. A few minutes later Jack was unlucky to see a strong goal bound shot from the right turned away for a corner.
Then came the sending off. A long clearance was met by Thame defender Dave Hocking. The normally dependable Hocking mistimed his ?trap? and the ball fell to Milton striker, Jemel Johnson who was through on goal, but as he closed the distance he was pushed over by Thame?s Matt Higgs. The referee strictly applied the law by awarding a penalty and then dismissed Higgs. Milton?s Vince Rusher buried the penalty, giving Searl no chance.
Milton increased their lead in the 37th minute when a long cross from the right found Rusher in a space. The impressive striker controlled the ball well and fired home from eight yards.
Not surprisingly the visitors had slightly more second half possession. Thame goalkeeper, Paul Searl, made a fine save when, following a corner, he tipped a goal-bound header over the bar.
Thame were dangerous on the break and the Milton keeper did well to stop shots from both Jack and Adam Rhodes.
On 70 minutes Rusher was unfortunate not to get his hat trick when a strong shot hit the bar with Searl beaten. Thame forced 2 successive corners in Injury time, but Milton held out to progress to the next round.

Thame United: Searl, Thompson (Graves), Ansell, Higgs, Hocking, Boult, Connelly, Rhodes, Marshall (Swafford), Jack (Catlin), Ricketts.

Thame are away to Marlow United next Saturday (3rd Nov) whilst the reserves face Penn and Tylers Green reserves at Lord Williams School.

FROM this morning’s Daily Telegraph: Obituary regarding ex-Lord Williams’s teacher.
“Gerald Howat, the former Daily Telegraph schools cricket correspondent, has died at the age of 80. After teaching at Radley College and Lord Williams’ Thame, he became a university lecturer and visiting professor in the United States, while leaving time to write about cricket, his great love.

He wrote biographies on Plum Warner, Walter Hammond, Len Hutton and Learie Constantine, and contributed to newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph from 1999, and magazines.

As a player, Howat became a legend at North Moreton in Oxfordshire, where he kept wicket into his seventies.”

THAME Tennis Club Men?s Teams have had a good start to their winter campaign. This follows the promotion of their Men?s A three pair and two pair teams in the summer, both to Division One of the Oxfordshire League.
In the Thames Valley League, the Thame A team had a good win by 7 sets to 1 over Wychwood. Meanwhile, the B team of Tony Morris (c), Ian Catchpole, Alan Reed and Duncan Holmes have beaten both Oxford City C and Hanney A.
The Club also has teams playing in the Aylesbury Winter League and the mixed team began their season with a resounding 8 sets to 0 win at home to Wingrave. The team?s first pair, Ann Green and John Patrick, beat the visitors? first pair 6-3, 6-1 and their second pair 6-3, 6-2. Team captain, John Ansell and his partner Terry Merry, also took all four of their sets, beating the Wingrave first pair 6-2, 6-1 and their second pair 6-1, 6-0.

A SPIRITED performance saw Chinnor through in this dogged encounter. Chinnor were forced to make several changes from their selected line up, due to injury and unavailability but welcomed back Zane Winslade to the fold and gave Tristan Corp his First Team debut.
With Readingensians making the early running, Chinnor’s defence was being well tested. Their cause was not helped when Darren Oxley, who has played a pivotal role in this early season, was forced to leave the field after 18 minutes with a knee injury. Tristan Corp moved into the centre with Adam White coming in on the wing. With both sides going close, Chinnor from a forward drive and Readingensians from a kick across field which saw right wing Juao Costa being hauled down just short of the line, the game remained scoreless until Spike Chandler slotted a penalty for the home side five minutes before half- time.
Chinnor were quick off the blocks at the resumption. In a move that started in their own half they moved the ball to the left wing where Pip Seymour chipped ahead to win the race for the touch down. With Grizz Mcguire adding another try minutes later from a forward drive, and Harry Jackman picking up from the back of a scrum and forcing his way over the line, Chinnor scored three tries in the space of 10 minutes. Chinnor then missed three conversion attempts, two of then hitting the bar when they should have been sitting pretty with a healthy lead.
A try by Reynolds, converted by Chandler, brought Readingensians right back into the game. Ben Hewitt eventually found his kicking boots to kick a penalty, much to the relief of the visiting supporters, and put Chinnor two scores ahead.
The referee’s interpretation of the setting up of a maul seemed somewhat confusing at this stage, causing much frustration in the Chinnor ranks. With Readingensians once again coming back into the game with a long range penalty from Chandler, the game was to close to call. Ben Hewitt, who’s all-round game and positional play had been top drawer all afternoon, then struck a preposterous drop goal from some 50 metres out to once again afford Chinnor some breathing space.
Readingensians not to be denied, scored at the final whistle with Flynn scoring from a quick tap penalty take.
In the circumstances, having to make three late changes, this was a gutsy performance. Six wins on the bounce, with four of these on the road makes for good reading. It was good to see both Zane Winslade back in Chinnor colours and Tristan Corp make a good fist of his debut, and to see Pip Seymour take his try well and fit into the unaccustomed roll of left wing.

Readingensians 18 pts Vs Chinnor 21 pts

Photo: Chinnor Firsts pictured at a recent away game at Rosslyn Park.

CHINNOR RFC, based in Thame, will have the services of two French international coaches at their training session on Wednesday.
Didier Retiere, the French Under 21s Forwards Coach and Emile N’tmack, the French Under 21s Backs Coach will be at the club at 7pm.

PHOTO: Didier Retiere

THAME UNITED 2 Vs BISLEY SPORTS 2 – Match Report – Contributed.
THAME United re-discovered their goalscoring form against high-flying Bisley Sports Saturday (13/10), but were unable to secure three points as they were pegged-back on each occasion by their third place opponents.
The opening exchanges were fairly even, but it was United who took the lead from the penalty spot in the 20th minute. A long through ball was met by the advancing Ben Connelly who beat his man and then saw his goal bound shot from the edge of the area palmed away by defender Jon Lloyd. The referee had no hesitation in giving the penalty, which was coolly dispatched by striker Nathan Jack. However, the lead only lasted 10 minutes before Bisley forward David Stevens finished from close range beyond keeper Mike Higgs.
Whilst Bisley had the upper hand in the remainder of the first half, Thame came out the stronger of the two sides in the second half, and regained the lead in the 65th minute. Striker Jack was unable to control an initial ball in to the box, but Connelly stole the ball off the clearing defender and fed Jack, who curled the ball sublimely beyond the Bisley keeper in to the top corner of the net from 20 yards. Again Bisley pushed forward in search of an equaliser and were rewarded in the 75th minute when the ball fell to Stevens on the left hand edge of the box, who calmly placed it to the left of the wrong-footed Higgs.
The goal seemed to galvanize Thame and, showing greater fitness levels than their opponents, they pushed forward in search of the winner. However, despite good efforts from Jack and Luke Ricketts, Thame were unable to find the winning goal.

Thame will be looking for three points when the travel to Finchampstead on October 20.

Thame United: Mike Higgs, Matt Higgs, Graves (Ansell), Thompson, Hocking, Boult, Connelly, Rhodes, Jack (Bloomfield), Swafford, Ricketts.

ANYONE who joins Thame Leisure Centre before 31st October, will get a massive,