Category: Sports News

National League 3 – South – Match Report – Saturday, September 2 – Chinnor 16, Clifton 15.
THIS was a match which Chinnor ultimately won in stoppage time by a single point and in which the gale-like wind had a significant influence on play.

For their first ever match at National level, Chinnor fielded a side with 8 new players to the club. In contrast, their opponents, Clifton, kept to much the same side that won them promotion through the play offs at the end of last season.

Clifton had advantage of the fierce wind for the first half and looked a settled side as they dominated territory for significant periods of the first half. Chinnor, unable to kick the ball in case it went behind them in the wind, had long periods of possession. The stalemate was broken in the 15th minute when a Barnes penalty opened the Clifton account. A few minutes later, Clifton winger Bell easily beat the Chinnor cover to score a neat try for Clifton. Barnes converted to give Clifton a 10-0 lead.

In a rare visit into the Clifton half, Chinnor were awarded a penalty on the half hour duly converted by fly half Williams. Barnes for Clifton missed a penalty and Clifton went in 10-3 ahead at the break.

At the start of the second half, Chinnor replaced hooker Immelman by Cawston. This half saw Chinnor with the fierce wind at their backs. This allowed them more visits to the Clifton half where Williams struck two penalties to put Chinnor one point behind the visitors from Bristol. 30 minutes into the half, Clifton skilfully put centre Smee away out wide to score a well worked try. Barnes, kicking into a gale, failed with the conversion attempt. Chinnor came straight back with another penalty from Williams to leave the visitors 15-9 ahead. With the minutes ticking away, Clifton looked the stronger and mounted a series of attacks which Chinnor just managed to keep out. Chinnor?s Williams then turned the match on its head by sprinting away, beating two defenders to feed winger Richard Grimsdell. He carried the ball on and quick recycling saw the ball in replacement Hewitt?s hands. Hewitt cleverly fed centre Oxley who powered over for a try with 8 minutes of injury time on the clock. Ice cool Williams converted and the ref blew for full time shortly after, leaving the final score Chinnor 16 Clifton 15.

Chinnor?s discipline in keeping the ball for long periods because of the gale frustrated Clifton who were the more attack orientated side. Clifton were more than a useful side and looked certain winners until Williams? courage in running the ball from deep well into injury time. Schmidt played well for Clifton. Chinnor?s skipper Hennessy had a good match, as did hooker Immelman but lock Hutchings was the stand-out Chinnor player for his non stop involvement in the match.

Chinnor 2nd Team 37 Pts, Aylesbury 1st Team 0 Pts
Away Friendly Game – 2nd September 2006.
Tries: Matt Woodward, Adam White, Tom Whelan, Ed Orchard, Johan De Bruin and Jamie Hiscock x 2.
Conversions: Danny Yeow x 1

MATCH REPORT
Chinnor seconds have started the new season as they finished the last, making it two in a row, following their 54 to 5 win over Oxford Firsts last weekend. They followed it up this weekend by beating Aylesbury 1st 37 to 0.

Chinnor 2nds line-up had 10 new players and only seven from last year’s league winners? team.
The game predictably was physical and hard.
Chinnor took control from the start but played into a very strong wind in the first half, scoring after five minutes with some good forward work and slick passing from the backs for left wing, Matt Woodward, to score in the corner.
This was followed 20 minutes later by the same type of play but this time it was the turn of Adam White to score. The team were finding it difficult to gel with so many new players and suffered as a result from trying to make things happen and not playing as a unit. This cost them three tries.

The team were weakened considerably when both locks were sent off for stamping whilst trying to clear an Aylesbury player from the wrong side of ruck. Chinnor had to play the last ten minutes of the first half with 13 men. Aylesbury were unable to take advantage with outstanding defensive play by Chinnor and they finished the first half 10 points to Nil.

The second half was much improved with the boys playing as a team. Tom Whelan scored a try after five minutes, which was converted by Danny Yeow. Ed Orchard then scored 15 minutes later, followed shortly after by Johan DeBruin after some great forward work.
Jamie Hiscock then ran in two great individual tries, which could have been five or six, the strength of the wind making possible good passing into forward passes.
Chinnor Seconds finished the game 37 points to nil.
All 17 players played well with very good performances by Johan DeBruin, Tom Whelan, Adam Beets and Jake Carter.
Man of the match Johan DeBruin

By Walter McGuicken

Kidlington 1, Thame United 0 – League game, Saturday, September 2; Match Report.
AS this entertaining game moved into injury time with the game goalless, I thought I would be reporting Thame?s first point this season, and their first clean sheet since April. Kidlington striker, Ben Moses however had other ideas and scored in the last attack of the match. It was a game, which the unfortunate Thame United did not deserve to loose.

Thame controlled the first half. After 15 minutes Dave Miller hit a tremendous shot from 25 yards which Kidlington keeper, Des Buckingham, did well to save. On 35 minutes, Nathan Jack hit the crossbar with a 25-yard free kick. Two minutes later he took another free kick from a similar position and forced another outstanding save from Buckingham. Thame keeper, Paul Searl, did well to turn a chip from Kieran Davis over the bar. For the first time in ages he went in for half time having kept a clean sheet.

With the strong blustery wind behind them Kidlington were more of a threat in the second half and hit the woodwork in the 49th minute. Thame fought back and the crowd saw some good open, end-to-end football with Searl as busy as his counterpart. After an hour, the luckless Jack forced another fine save from Buckingham. A few minutes later substitute Patrick Johnson was unlucky when, after a good cross-field run, his shot was just wide.

The deadlock was finally broken in the second minute of injury time when a through ball, from ex-professional Gary Parker, found Moses unmarked on the right. He bore down on the Thame goal before finishing with a well-placed low shot that beat Searl before going in off the far post.

Thame United: Searl, Watkins, Kitson, Hocking (Johnson), Jackson, Gibson, Rogers, Jack, Miller, Da Silva.

THE CHINNOR Lionhearts, from Chinnor Kung Fu and Kickboxing Club, were in action last Sunday in
Watford.
Mark Doulin made his debut in the under 16’s, taking
third place and looked capable of going further with
more experience.
kieran Calvert won the under 16’s catergory, his
strength and superior kicking singling him out from other boys.
Phil keavy, struggling with a recurring discolated shoulder injury, was not 100% fit, but showed in
the latter stage of his fight what he can do when
fully fit.

The Club’s Sifu, Duncan Elliott, took second place in the brown/blackbelt section, only losing after a refereeing decision to score a kick that hit his arm block, which should not have been scored. Duncan later claimed that the influence of the Watford fighter’s home crowd gave the referee a hard time.

“All in all, the overall results, a First, Second and Third place from the Lionhearts team, were very pleasing,” he said.

The Lionhearts next event will be in mMidenhead on
September 10.

MATCH REPORT – Thame United 1, Ardley United 2 – Monday, August 28.

Thame United came in to this game bottom of the table and without a goal in their first four league fixtures, whilst Ardley were top of the table having won all of their opening five league games. By the end of the game, however, the neutral spectator would have had difficulty deciding which team were top of the table.

Indeed, it was Thame United who dominated the opening exchanges playing neat, passing football. The first chance fell to Chris Watkin on 14 minutes whose effort from outside the box flew narrowly wide. Against the run of play Ardely took the lead on 19 minutes with a hotly disputed penalty when Sion Kitson was adjudged to have handled the ball when clearing an Ardley corner. Worse was to follow for Thame three minutes later when the referee, who was poorly positioned to see the incident, inexplicably gave a penalty against Thame debutant Adrian Smith who was fouled when clearing the ball only to see the offender fall over his clearing foot. Both penalties were dispatched by Danny Mason.The remainder of the first half saw Thame again gain the upper hand with long distance efforts from Joe Da Silva and Nathan Jack causing the Ardley keeper most problems.

Thame started the second half in determined fashion with the powerful running of another debutant, Ross Butler, from centre midfield causing problems in the heart of the Ardley defence. Indeed, Butler had three half-chances in the first ten minutes of the half, before Alex Cairns was clean through on goal in the 62nd minute only to see his lobbed effort land on the roof of the net. However, Thame found the back the net four minutes later when Nathan Jack turned neatly on the edge of the box before planting a powerful effort in the top left hand corner of the goal that gave the Ardley keeper no chance. Despite an immediate double substitution by Ardley, Thame were by now camped in the Ardley half and both Nik Gibson and Cairns forced the keeper to make good saves. With time running out, Smith attacked down the right and a good ball found Jack in space who turned and shot narrowly wide. It turned out to be the last opportunity for Thame and the game ended 2-1 to Ardley, when a draw or home win would have been a much fairer result. Nevertheless, Thame proved that they can compete with the top teams in this league and will take a lot of positives in to the next game at Kidlington (Saturday 2nd September).

Team: Searl, Smith, Watkin, Kitson, Rhodes, Butler, Gibson, Cairns, Miller, Jack, Da Silva

Subs (not used): Johnson, Cakmak, Hocking.

MATCH REPORT, League game Saturday, 26/08/06 – Fairford Town 3, Thame United 0

THIS was a game in which, despite the score, there was little to choose between the two teams. Thame had their fair share of possession and created as many scoring opportunities as their opponents. Fairford however converted their chances into goals, whereas Thame were unable to get the ball into the Fairford net.

Thame had the better of the opening exchanges and, after 9 minutes, Luke Fisher forced a good save from Ian Gill the Fairford keeper. On 20 minutes Fairford won a corner and, as the ball came over, Fisher was judged to have deliberately handled the ball. Fairford captain, Kevin Coles clinically despatched the resultant penalty, giving goalkeeper Paul Searl no chance. The second goal came 8 minutes later when a high ball from the right found Ryan Pratley unmarked about 10 yards from goal. Pratleys powerful, low header forced a good fingertip save from Searl, but unfortunately the ball fell to Phil Corcoran who finished well. Then came a period of sustained Thame pressure with a strong Nathan Jack shot blocked and Nik Gibson putting a header wide, when it seemed easier to hit the target. The sides went in 2-0 at half time.

The second half was fairly even but, as Thame pushed men forward, they inevitably left defensive gaps. This lead to the third goal when, in the 82nd minute

a defensive clearance fell to Corcoran, who bore down on the Thame goal, beat his defender, and launched a powerful shot from 15 yards beating Searl.

So, lack of finishing and defensive errors cost Thame this game. The season is still young, but Thame United, who are probably the youngest team in the league, need to address these problems.

Thame United: Searl (Capt.), Jackson (Hocking), Watkin, Kakmak (Gomme), Kitson, Connelly (Da Silva) Fisher, Cairns, Miller, Gibson, Jack

Thame Runners Open Invitation Evening
CAN you run/jog 10Km in 1 hour or less? Do you live in or around Thame and fancy running a running club? The Thame Runners welcome you to their open invitation evening from Thame Leisure Centre.

The aim is to leave at 7.00pm on Wednesday, August 30, from the front of the centre and split into 3 groups varying in distance/speed. Regular members will be there with each group to ensure no one gets lost and the distances will vary from 5 to 8-9 miles.

After the run, there will be a chance for a drink and snacks with the runners at the centre – a great chance to see what it?s like to run with a club. Contact Reg Koster on 01844 218888 for further information.

CHINNOR 1st rugby team play their last pre-season match this Saturday when Oxford Harlequins, the club’s local rivals, pay them a visit.

The following Saturday, September 2, Chinnor will play Clifton in the first game of the National League three, both teams having won promotion from South West One.
They are hoping for a big, local crowd to turn out to show support and cheer the team on!

TOUR de France Prologue winner, David Millar, turned up for his old club’s 10 mile time trial last Tuesday (15/08) – and smashed the course record by 2 minutes!
Millar, who used to live locally, took part in High Wycombe Cycling Club’s ten mile time trial between Longwick and Thame, coming in with a time of 19 mins 5 secs.
Despite being a big international cycling superstar, Millar was, apparently, “just one of the boys” as he chatted with Wycombe’s young, up-and-coming club cyclists.

Also taking part, on a visit from his current home in Australia, was Stuart Dangerfield, who, in 2001, held the 10 mile time trial record of 18.19.

Photo of David Millar with thanks to t-mobile-team.com

Match Report from last Tuesday’s League game, August 15, Thame United 0, Kidlington 3. (Contributed)
THIS was Thame United?s first ?home? game at the well-equipped Hithercroft stadium, the home of AFC Wallingford. The Thame team contained only five players from last year?s squad. Managers Alan Thorne and Richard Searl have uncovered several new talented players living within a few miles of Thame, and they now have the nucleolus of what could be a high performing team.

Kidlington, on the other hand have had few changes and played with the understanding of each other?s play that only time can develop. The Kidlington team also featured former England International Gary Parker, whose clubs included Aston Villa and Leicester City. Although, at nearly 40, Parker was not the fastest man on the pitch, his ball distribution was superb and his influence on his colleagues apparent.

Kidlington had the better of the opening exchanges and it was Parker who put Kidlington ahead on 26 minutes when his inswinging corner kick eluded both Thame and Kidlington players to finish nestled in the far corner of the Thame net. Kidlington increased their lead in the 35th minute when a through ball found Ben Moses unmarked. Moses did well to dribble the ball around the advancing Thame Keeper, Paul Searl, for a tap in. Although Thame had their fair share of first half possession, they created few chances.

Whatever the Thame Managers said at half time worked, as Thame were far more dangerous in the second half with both Nik Gibson and Alex Cairns going close. Kidlington?s third came with 10 minutes to play when, following a goalmouth scramble, the ball came out to Moses who shot home confidently from 8 Yards, giving Searl no chance.

Although this was a disappointing result, Thame can take heart from their second half performance and, given time, they could start to collect a few points.

Thame United: Searl, Gomme (Watkin), Raga, Johnson, Kitson, Connelly, Jackson, Cairns, Davis (Cakmak), Gibson, Da Silva.

Thame United are away to Carterton next Tuesday 22nd and away again on Saturday 26th at Fairford Town. Their next home match is on Bank Holiday Monday 28th when Ardley United visit Hithercroft Stadium (KO 3.00). For directions visit www.thameunitedfc.co.uk