Category: Sports News

CHINNOR RFC 2nd – 14 Pts vs. Westcombe Park – 26 Pts
Away League Game – October 6, 2007.
Scorers:
Tries: Phil Scott-Priestley, Andy Millburn and Danny Burns; Conversions: Adam White x 1
MATCH REPORT
Another tough game played by two good teams but still a game that Chinnor seconds will be very disappointed having lost. They had full control in the first half with 2 good tries by Millburn and Scott-Priestley. However a well-worked try by Westcombe Park kept the game very close and the 1st half finished 10 points to 7 in Chinnor?s favour.
Chinnor increased their lead within four minutes into the second half to 17 points to 7 with a try by Burns converted by White. They continued to look very good until they had two changes in the scrum and lost a bit of the intensity that they had shown in the first half. Some of the players became isolated and this resulted in a few turnovers, and the team also let their backs run a bit more freely instead of closing them down. This all being so different from the way the first half was played.
There were a few missed infringements by the ref, who it must be said had a good game and certainly the best we have had this season. Having said that he did yellow card Adam White for going off side without a warning, but allowed a Westcombe Park player to stay on the pitch with a warning for stamping. A try was also awarded when the ball was about 2 feet short of the try line. Another try was scored by Westcombe Park sadly due to another iffy decision.
However, all in all the players knew that they had let the game slip.
Final score 26 – 17

Walter McGuicken

DESPITE having 80% of the possession, Thame failed to turn possession in to goals and slipped to their second successive 1-0 defeat at mid-table Holyport last Saturday (06/10).
Holyport opened brightly and took the lead in the seventh th minute when a speculative 25-yard shot from the impressive Chris Woods dipped under the bar at the last second to beat Thame keeper, Michael Higgs.
Once they had scored, Holyport was content to sit back for the remainder of the game, soaking-up Thame pressure and hitting them on the break. As a result, Thame had the majority of the play but struggled to break down a resolute Holyport defence. For the remainder of the first half chances were few and far between, with the best chance falling to striker Nathan Jack who failed to connect when well placed eight yards from goal.

The second half continued in similar fashion, with Luke Ricketts on the wide left for Thame posing real problems for the Holyport defence with his pace, trickery and crossing ability. Indeed, the best chance of the second half fell to Ricketts, forcing a fine save from the Holyport keeper with a drive from wide left. Despite a change in formation and the introduction of manager Mark West, Thame were unable to force an equaliser with Adam Rhodes seeing his goalbound shot deflected over the bar with a few minutes remaining.
Holyport 1 – Thame United 0

Thame will be hoping to reverse their recent fortunes when they face Bisley Sports at home (AFC Wallingford) on October 13, (3:00pm kick off).

Thame United: Mike Higgs, Ansell, Graves (West), Matt Higgs, Hocking, Connelly, Cowan (Reading), Rhodes, Catlin, Jack, Ricketts.

Thame United Reserves comprehensively beat Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves 3-0, to move to the top of the Reserve Division 2 East. The Reserves will be looking to maintain top-spot as they face Chinnor Reserves at Station Road, Chinnor on 13th October (3:00pm kick off).

PHOTO: Chinnor’s Richard Williams runs in a Try – Score: Chinnor 30, Reading 10. Match Report to follow.

THE Oxfordshire Golf Course, owned by Leaderboard, near Thame, has been selected to host next year’s Ladies English Open Championship.
No date has been confirmed for the event, which also took place at the course in the mid-’90s.
The tournement is expected to bring much welcomed business to Thame retailers, hotels and restaurants.

CHINNOR RFC Match Report – Away Friendly – September 29. Score: Chinnor 2nd, 18 Pts vs. Southend, 25 Pts.
Tries: Adam Winchester, Luke Wellbelove
Conversions: Gareth Duder x 1
Penalties: Gareth Duder x 2
THIS was a tough game played by two good teams but still a game that Chinnor seconds will be very disappointed to have lost. They had full control in the first half with a good try by Adam Winchester that was well converted by Gareth Duder.
Two successful penalties followed by Duder and the first half finished 13 points to nil in Chinnor?s favour and well in control.

The change came in the second half with a bad start and Chinnor gave away two soft converted tries a penalty as well as a drop goal, all within a fifteen-minute period. This was followed six minutes later with another try and Chinnor seconds were left chasing the game.
They were unlucky on a number of occasions with the ref blowing Chinnor up for wheeling the scrum, and were unaware that they weren?t allowed to. This also caused Chinnor to lose a lot of attacking moves where they could have scored.
Chinnor did score another try by Luke Wellbelove and the game finished 18 points to 25 for Southend.

Alan Cawston and Luke Wellbelove shared man of the match. Luke played his first game for Chinnor and his first in 3 years.

LEAGUE GAME – 29/09/07 – Match Report- Thame United 0, Englefield Green Rovers, 1.
A FEW weeks ago, Thame United had won five consecutive games but sadly this match saw their third successive defeat. It was an uninspiring game in which defences dominated.

The first half was fairly even with Thame?s best chance coming after five minutes when Nathan Jack played a long pass to Paul Reading, who beat his man, and laid the ball back to Jack, 15 yards from goal. Unfortunately for Thame, the normally deadly Jack scuffed his shot and the Englefield keeper easily saved. The game was goalless at half time with neither goalkeeper really tested.

The second half was initially a continuation of the same. Thame created few chances but Adam Rhodes in particular was unfortunate to see a strong long range shot deflected for a corner. At this stage the visitors seemed content to hit largely ineffective long range efforts.

The game needed a goal and it got one in the 59th minute when visiting midfielder, Paul Burrows, struck a glorious well placed, 25-yard shot which beat Thame goalkeeper Paul Searl. In an effort to restore parity Thame threw men forward but this opened up gaps at the back and Searl was forced to make a series of good saves to limit the deficit.

Despite sustained periods of Thame pressure, the home side lacked the ability to penetrate a packed Englefield defence and the visitors held out to take the points.

Thame United: Searl, Higgs, Jackman (Ansell), Boult, Hocking, Rhodes, Connelly, Braun, Reading (Leach), Jack, Graves (Watkins).

Thame United are away at Holyport on Saturday 6th October. The reserve team face Wokingham and Emmbrook reserves at Lord Williams School.

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SCORE; Chinnor 41 – Coney Hill 22
photo: Darren Oxley shrugs off a tackle to score a try- MATCH REPORT
IT was not until the final stages of the game that Chinnor were able to pull away from a spirited Coney Hill. Chinnor pressurised the Coney Hill line on numerous occasions but ran out of patience allowing the visitors back into the game.
Indeed it was very much a see-saw sequence of scoring until the final quarter when Chinnor pulled away. Chinnor opened the scoring in the third minute via a James Cathcart penalty. Two minutes later a Rory Baker penalty put the visitors on level terms. Another Cathcart penalty and conversion from a try by No.8, Ed Rixon resulting from a powerful Chinnor scrum where the visitors were shunted back over their line gave Chinnor a 10 point cushion.
Coney Hill quickly reduced the deficit when Craig Overthrow finished off a slick threequarter move to score under the posts. Baker added the extra points. Another Cathcart penalty and a fine solo effort from Darren Oxley, when he picked up a loose pass and cut back across a static defence and force his way over in the corner gave Chinnor an 11point lead at the interval.
It was all Coney Hill at the start of the second half. A sniping run by their impressive scrum -half, Leon Leggit, saw him go-over under the posts. With Baker converting, it was once again game on.
Chinnor were now keeping the ball tight. With Williams, on for the injured Cathcart, kicking into the corner, Chinnor set up a rolling maul and captain Matt Hutchins went over. Ben Hewitt made no mistake with the conversion. Coney Hill came back once more with Chinnor making a mess of defending a long kick allowing their speedy winger Nevall Codlin to touch down.T wo tries in the last eight minutes, both from rolling mauls and both touched down by Joe Winpenny and converted by Ben Hewitt made the game safe for Chinnor.
That they stuck to their game plan, in keeping the game tight, was laudable. Chinnor’s front five played exceptionally well with Grizz McGuire hardly seen but most effective. They will need to be on their mettle next week at Patesians who have also started the campaign in an impressive fashion.

OXFORDSHIRE FA has announce an All Female, Level 1 Coaching Course which it will run in November.
Information on the details of the course can be obtained from:
Bev Priestman (Women and Girls Football Development Officer) on bev.priestman@oxfordshirefa.com or 07956415587, or visit: Link

PHOTO COURTESY OF www.culfc.com

THAME United bowed out of the FA Vase at the second qualifying round stage on Saturday, with a 2-1 defeat against Melksham Town from the Premier Division of the Western League.
Thame started brightly and opened the scoring in the tenth minute with Nathan Jack scoring his first goal since returning to the Club from Kidlington. In typical fashion, Jack beat two men before firmly placing the ball beyond the Melksham keeper from the edge of the box. The lead was, however, short lived when five minutes later, the Melksham striker found space from a throw in and beat keeper Paul Searl. Five minutes later Thame found themselves 2-1 down when a through ball beat the Thame defence and in a one-on-one with Searl, the Melksham striker coolly dispatched what turned out to be the winning goal.

The second half was all Thame as they searched for an equaliser with the main threat again coming from striker Nathan Jack. With time running out, Thame threw caution to the wind and as a result, gaps appeared in the defence. Twice in the last 10 minutes Melksham hit the woodwork and Thame relied on Searl to make a number of good stops. However, Thame were unable to find the equaliser and the dream of a trip to Wembley was put on hold for another year.

Thame return to League action next Saturday, September 29, with a home tie against third place Englefield Green Rovers (AFC Wallingford, 3:00pm kick off).
Thame United: Searl, Ansell, Graves, Higgs (Way), Jackman, Boult, Connelly, Hocking, Leach, (Reading), Jack, Watkins (Cowan)

SOLL Leisure and Fox FM are challenging would-be rowers to beat a world record by covering the distance to row the Atlantic in just five days.
The current record is 33 days, 7 hours and 30 minutes.

You can go to Thame Leisure Centre, Oxford Road, Thame, or any one of the Soll Leisure centres, and do your bit on one of the designated static rowing machines.

Fox FM’s Thunder Crew will be out on the streets getting everyone involved and will be in Thame on Tuesday, September 30. If you help them to break the world record you could win a years membership with Soll Leisure, and everyone that takes part will also receive a FREE 7 day trial.

The challenge starts from 8am on Monday, September 29, until Friday, October 3.

Thame Leisure Centre, Oxford Road, Thame. Tel 01844 215607.