Category: Sports News

LORD Williams’s First XI are out of the ESFA Uner 18’s competition.
The team lost on penalties, following a 1-1 score line at full time, and at the end of extra time. One observer told ThameNews.Net: “It was very disappointing as we were the better team but unfortunately could not finish.
“Centre forward, Alex Jewell had been injured in a previous match for the school and damaged his knee ligaments so was not fit to play. Therefore our strike force was a bit thin as the other forward was not fully fit.
“Not good news this time I’m but we are proud of them getting this far, the first time I believe the school has reached the semi final.”

A 72 year-old man from Great Haseley, who has won several International swimming medals, is to compete yet again in the Butlins annual Swimathon.
Richard Harding told ThameNews.Net: “On Saturday next, March 19, I shall be attempting to do the full 5000 metres again as I near my 72nd birthday.
“This year’s Swimathon falls on the 50th anniversary of my Mother’s refusal (I was a minor at the time) to let a surgeon remove my left foot after it was crushed in a motorcycle accident. Still a funny shape, it does remarkably well and should, once again, complete this swim without any problem!”
Last year, Richard came seventh in his class, in the World Masters Swimming Competition in Ricciione, in Italy, where he finished 7th in the 100 metres backstroke and 8th in the 200 metres backstroke in the hotly-contested 70-74yrs age group.
This time, the major Good Cause is the Children’s Charity NCH which supports over 140,000 children, young people and their families including those who have been affected by poverty, disability and abuse.
Richard, who has been a swimmer all his life, belongs to the 300-strong Spencer Swim Team and incidentally, back in March 2004, won a medal in the National Swimathon, a charity event which raised fund for Macmillan Nurses.
Photo: Richard Harding of Great Haseley, wearing the two medals he won in the World Masters Swimming Competitiion in Italy.

ON a bitterly cold winter?s afternoon at Tadley Rugby Club, the two best teams from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire came head to head in the culmination of a season long league and Chinnor Colts took on the power of Maidenhead in a match where the ?maids? were generally deemed to be favourites.

The match started with both sides testing out their opposite numbers and with a strong Maidenhead pack, the bedrock of their success, meeting the tandem power of Ian Stock and Ed Devine with the excellent hooking and input to the line-out of Jason Lang.

Early driving runs from the Chinnor backs saw them stifled, and after 10 minutes Maidenhead drove down the pitch and their tight head prop forced over at the base of the posts and a simple conversion moved the score to 0 ?7.

Josh Kirby at the base of the maul taking a heavy pounding, James Hewitt and Harry Hillier getting wrapped up, and Maidenhead took the upper hand. Fastball out of the ruck, quick passes down their line created an overlap and their second try. An excellent kick made the score 0?14.

Throughout the match Maidenhead were hampered by their illegal play but good, independent refereeing picked up and penalised this indiscipline. A penalty for hands in the ruck gave Hewitt and Chinnor their first points and offside shortly afterwards, a further three points. In end-to-end play both teams were awarded penalties with each failing to score in the wind.

By half time the packs were playing level and the Chinnor backs were continually making crunching tackles but Maidenhead were justifiably 6 ? 14 ahead.

The second half started with a bang and a clean fast ball travelling down the line, drawing and neutralizing opposite numbers. But, with Tom Grellier coming into the line from full back and delivering the final ball, James Ward went over the line. He sensibly tried to improve the kicking position but was caught, and did well to ground the ball. Kicking had been difficult for both sides throughout the game with gusts of wind across the pitch and the conversion was missed for a score of 11 ? 14.

Rob French, on for the second half (having landed from Oz on Friday), flew in the lineout; Dan John covered every blade of grass and Peter Elson also on, started to drive out of the scrum.

Then Harry Hillier set off on a darting run getting closer and closer. He stepped back off his right foot to open the angle and his chasing defensive tackler rolled across his back and between him and the corner flag as he grounded the ball. The referee and linesman, who were within feet of the play called the try good and the score moved to 16-14. The winds again took the ball from the conversion, but for the first time Chinnor were ahead by 2 points.

Maidenhead came back with the power of a wounded animal, and heroic tackles were required. Hillier standing up to the rampaging number eight and whilst being flattened he never let go and slowed him for the cover to arrive, Matt Edmunds taking an advancing forward to the ground in a black belt beauty. However they kept coming and eventually drove over to score but a poor kick made the score 16 ? 21 with just 6 minutes remaining.

Back came Chinnor driving and forcing yet more illegal Maidenhead play and Hewitt took the brave decision to take the three points. This left Chinnor just 2 points behind and 4 minutes to play. Almost from the restart the ball came back to Hewitt from loose play and a strong kick was called for to gain position, but no; as the ball set off from the half line it became clear that he had gone for the drop. Not high and handsom but low and avoiding the wind, and with the ball and spectators running out of breath, it crept over the posts like a car running out of petrol. But it made it and Chinnor won 22 ? 21.

A spectacular recovery by an excellent squad and superb use of substitutions by coach Richard John.
Brilliantly support by friends, families, club players from other teams and club members. Your support made a difference!

Squad:

Ian Stock; Jason Lang; Ed Devine (Rupert Enticknap 55); Dan Cuadrado (Rob French 35); Dan John; Josh Kirby (Peter Elson); Max Williams(Johnny Nicholls); Pip Seymour; Guy Hackshaw; Harry Hillier; James Hewitt (Capt); Dan Issac(Matt Edmans 60); Jamie Hiscock; James Ward; Tom Grellier

Ben Bishop
James Messenger
Russell Johnson
Morgan Thompson
Adam White

Posted by Nick Stock

THE third, annual football match, in memory of a young Thame father who died of a heart attack, will take place at Thame United’s ground on Good Friday.
The Richard Wheeler Memorial Trust was set up two years ago to honour the life of Richard Wheeler, who tragically lost his life on Good Friday 2002.
The aim of the Memorial, set up by Richard’s friends, has been to raise money each year for the British Heart Foundation and to date, it has successfully donated

NEW beginners’ classes for adults and children (including “Mighty Matt’s” class for 3-6 year olds) are starting at Haddenham Community Junior School. Call 0800 0354 660 for details and bookings.

THAME town councillors are concerned that part of a proposal to build new football pitches may be dangerous.
Thame United Football Club wants to build two new pitches and a car parking area on land at Blackditch Farm, Chinnor Road.
But at a meeting of the town council?s Planning Committee last night, members voted to suggest that the moving of the 30 mph speed limit should be considered, as they felt the access way to the site, which is on a curve of the road beyond the current limit, could be unsafe.

SUCCESS followed Success at the Kingsey Road ground on Sunday with the U17?s winning the Oxon, Bucks and Berks plate and the Colts progressing to the Final of their Tri Counties competition.
The coltS’ match began with the cheers and applause from club celebrations still ringing in the visitor?s ears; a match which brought back the Redingesians team from Reading who had fought so hard in a 3 point match earlier in the season.
The match started well for Chinnor with early pressure leading to a penalty and points from the boot of James Hewett. These were matched 10 minutes later by an excellent penalty kick from Redingesians to level the score.
Both sides had infringements penalised, and ill disciplined backchat continually surrendered ground throughout the match.
Neither side looked as though they would breakdown the other’s well drilled defences, even when Redingesians broke on their left. however the covering tackle from Tom Grellier was judged high and dangerous and a penalty try was awarded. The conversion made the half time score 3 – 10 to Redingesians.
Chinnor came out for the second half with a much sharper attitude and bite to their game. The scrum held better against good pressure and better ball allowed a more mobile game. Good bursting runs from Peter Elson and James Hewett pushed the opposition back. An attack fell just short of the line and when the ball came back Ed Devine delicately picked and dived over the line, and Hewett converted to level the scores.

The Chinnor pressure continued and with the second penalty, Hewett took Chinnor into the lead. The result was still far to close to call, but with a Chinnor scrum starting to move backwards, Max Williams scooped up the ball and darted round to the blind side making for the line. He drew in a covering player and delivered a near perfect ball to leave Morgan Thompson, who had made up ground fast, with just enough space to score in the corner. Opposition shoulders went down and Chinnor went on to win 18 ? 10
Chinnor will now play Maidenhead in the Final at Tadley RFC on March 6th at 2.45 pm

Chinnor Colts Squad on the day
R. ENTICKNAP; J.LANG; E.DEVINE; D.JOHN; J. KIRBY; M.WILLIAMS (Capt); P.ELSON; G.HACKSHAW; M THOMPSON; H.HILLIER; J.HEWETT; J.HISCOCK; M.EDMANS; D.ISSAC; B.BISHOP; T.GRELLIER; J.MESSENGER; R.JOHNSON; J.WARD; D CUADRADO

Coaches: Richard John and Kevin Edmans

TWO instructors from a local martial arts club, gained third place in their respective competitions, at Sunday’s (23rd) British Sport Martial Arts Premiership competition.
Mark Thomas, assistant instructor for Chinnor Kung-fu
and Kick-boxing Club, won 3rd place in the weapons
catergory, performing with the chinese broadsword, a weapon used in higher kung-fu training, after Black Belt.
Mark is currently a 2nd dan black belt.
Third Dan, Duncan Elliott, Senior Instructor at the Chinnor club, also won a 3rd place, although he personally was disappointed that he failed to gain a highter position. He said: “I was not happy with my own performance; I didnt get to my usual level of movement and dominate my opponent.
“I think this was partially due to being roped into
some refereeing and not being able to warm up properly
both physically and mentally.
“However, the good news is Mark and I both got points on the board for the league and we both look to improve on our performances.”

CHINNOR Bowls Club had some unexpected visitors during a 24 hour, charity marathon last weekend.
The club raised almost

THIS month charity leisure management company, Soll Leisure, is launching a brand new range of fully inclusive SOLLutions leisure centre memberships to help get Oxfordshire?s families exercising. SOLLutions membership entitles exercisers of all ages to use any of the 10 clubs now available within the SOLLutions chain (including Thame Leisure Centre). In addition to multi-club access, customers can also benefit from low prices, without a contract or the joining fee usually imposed by some of the larger private health clubs in the area. On top of this, SOLLutions are offering free total health and cholesterol checks for every new member.

Fully inclusive memberships are now available for all sizes of families, adults, seniors and students. Victoria Collen, project manger said: ?our aim is to make SOLLutions leisure centre membership even more accessible by offering exceptional value for money for all types of leisure activities… club memberships are not just about using the gym! There are also many new services launching in January including personal training, health and cholesterol tests as well as new sports coaching activities, more swimming lessons and all the latest aerobic classes?.

With obesity levels at an all time high SOLL Leisure is committed to helping reduce this number by encouraging families to exercise within the social leisure centre environment.

Exercisers can still ?Pay and Play? for any of the services on offer or benefit from the fully inclusive memberships which start from