REGULAR football sessions specifically for people with disabilities are to take place in Wallingford. Wallingford Town Football Club, supported by South Oxfordshire District Council, is launching the new sessions on Friday afternoons between 3pm and 4pm, starting on January 24.
Disabled boys playing football (Courtesy of uefa.com)
Anyone over the age of 16 who is disabled can attend. The weekly sessions costs just £1.50 per session and take place at Wallingford Sports Park.
The new football sessions have been introduced following the success of the Disability Football Fun Day which was organised by the Berks and Bucks FA, Oxfordshire Sports Partnership and South Oxfordshire District Council, back in September to try to increase the numbers of disabled people participating in sport. Currently just one in six disabled people participate in sporting activity, compared to one in three people who do not have a disability.
Anyone wishing to take part in the sessions, or who would like more information can contact Richard Prunier on 07767 404670, or email: wallingfordtownfc@live.co.uk
Richard Prunier, Wallingford Town Football Club Chairman, said: “As the club moves forward in leaps and bounds we see the Disability Football sessions as an integral part of our future development.”
Cllr Bill Service, Cabinet Member for Leisure at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It’s very important to ensure that all members of our community have the opportunity to participate in sport in South Oxfordshire, whether that’s through sessions designed specifically for people with disabilities or making sure that our facilities are accessible for all.”
SATURDAY’S match (28/12) at the ASM Stadium in Thame will be long be remembered by Thame and Highworth fans for all the wrong reasons. Referee Mateusz Filipiak lost both the respect of the players and control of the game and, as a result, seven players were dismissed from the pitch, four from Thame, and three from Highworth. For the record Highworth Town beat Thame United 0 – 2 and ended Thame’s run of eight unbeaten games.
Due to injuries and non-availability of players Thame started the game with four changes from the squad that drew with Ardley United on Boxing Day. Injured goalkeeper Lee Farrow was replaced by reserve keeper Josh Cockerel, whilst Matt Hall played at left back, Matt Willett at centre half and Matt Johnston started the game as a striker.
After a few minutes play Ian Pykett received a black eye and was replaced by Luke Hurley who went up front, Matt Willet was switched to right back, and Matt Johnson dropped back to central defence. The visitors went ahead in the 27th minute when a cross/shot from the left hit the far post and rebounded across the goalmouth where striker Terry Bohane finished confidently from 5-yards. Thame were facing a determined defence and the visiting goalkeeper was rarely tested. Two minutes before the break Ben Connelly made a promising run on the right but was pulled back before he could hit a cross. Amazingly the referee awarded a free kick to Highworth. What can only be described as a brawl followed the decision during which Connelly was seen to be in a headlock. Once the teams were separated, visiting centre half Chris Flanagan was shown a red card, whilst Connelly received a yellow. It was 0 – 1 at the break.
If the first half was bad, the second was worse. After a scrappy period of play Thame had a good case for a penalty for hand ball which was ignored. With 20 minutes remaining Louis Cordice was sent off, presumably for dissent. A few minutes later, Ellis Hercules made what looked like a fair tackle only to also be shown a red card. At this point it was Thame’s nine verses Hghworth’s ten but despite this, Thame went in search of the equaliser, winning a free kick, and then moving defenders forward to meet it. This left them venerable to a counterattack and sure enough when the ball was cleared, it was passed to Bohane near the halfway line, who ran at goal and beat Cockerel from 15-yards. The referee then dismissed the visitor’s Bradley Clarke for a second yellow after he kicked the ball away, following a foul. The final minutes saw another scuffle and the dismissal of Thame’s Ben Connelly and Matt Willet, together with Highworth’s Toby Clark.
The remarkable thing was that there was not a single dangerous tackle during the entire game.
INTERNATIONALLY ranked Squash Pro, Will John, whose playing began at Raquets, in Thame, is offering all local squash players the opportunity to take him on tomorrow night (19/12), for ten minutes, with a cracking prize for the player who can score the most points against him.
Can you get more points than your team mate? If you can, then the person with the most points will win a coaching lesson with Will. After the points challenge at 8.15pm, there’ll be an exhibition match between Alex Noakes and Will John. Place your bets on the scoreline and another coaching lesson could be up for grabs.
Will’s story is an inspiring one and he needs the help of as many squash players out there to help him take the next step to increasing his World ranking by a massive 100 points. He tells his own story here:
I’m a local lad and professional squash player. Like you I’ve spent time at Racquets Fitness Centre – in fact for most of my childhood – playing squash.
This is my story and my challenge!
I’ve been training as a full time professional squash player now since July 2010. So for the last three years I’ve been working hard on all the aspects of my game to fulfil my dream of becoming a world class squash player. This is not something I’m just toying with. I’m giving it everything and I will be world class squash player!
Squash has been my life for as long as I can remember. The first memory I have of it is at aged four going along to Sally Orris’s ball co-ordination classes at Racquets Fitness Centre. My aim back then was to hit that racketball-sized ball as hard as possible, which normally meant it would sail just behind the back of the service box. Now, though my aspirations are much higher, I can hit the ball a little bit further than the back of the service box and I’m starting to challenge players ranked a lot higher than myself.
I am now in my third season on the PSA (Professional Squash Association). My current ranking is #274 in the world with my highest at #218. This is a very important season for me. I’m looking to break into the top 150 in the world and better than that, I want to be #130 by May 2014. I am currently approaching my seventh tournament in seven weeks which have given me a great base and start to my season to push on.
To do this I need to be playing tournaments further afield. And my first opportunity comes in January where I have made it into the qualification draw for a $10k PSA event in Calgary, Canada. Unfortunately my goal was to go to USA/Canada and play three tournaments, making it much more cost efficient. However with my lower ranking, I didn’t make it into the rest. This tournament will help my ranking to the top 175 in the world – nearly 100 places higher than my current position. That will then allow me to enter bigger tournaments and play more of them, which will bring even more opportunities.
So Simon Martin and I are putting on a Play your Pro event on the 19th of December (tomorrow), to give you the opportunity to be part of my journey. For this night from 6-8pm I will be playing all takers. It’s £20 for 10 minutes of squash. Can you get more points than your team mate? If you can, then the person with the most points will win a coaching lesson with myself. After the points challenge at 8.15pm, there’ll be an exhibition match between Alex Noakes and myself. Place your bets on the scoreline and another coaching lesson could be up for grabs! After that, some well deserved food and drinks with a buffet in the bar.
I look forward to seeing you all there for what promises to be a really enjoyable evening of squash and social at Racquets Fitness Centre.
FROM the owner laying many of the bricks herself because the builder went bust, to becoming a thriving, family-run fitness centre and World Record holding squash club, Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame has grown, and today signed up its 10,000th member.
Daniel Lucas from Haddenham, signed up on line on Racquets’ website, and was surprised to learn that, as the 10,000th member he would be the centre of attention for a celebration and receive a bottle of champagne. When Dan turned up at the club for his induction with a member of the fitness staff, he met the club’s oldest member, 83 year-old Tom Gilmore, the lady who helped to lay the bricks the building in North Street is constructed with, Pam Preston (formerly Collins), and the club’s youngest member, Zane Finch aged 2, and his sister Taylor who is 4 years-old.
Racquets’ Manager, Simon Martin, is obviously very proud of the club’s achievements over the years, having grown as a business through many recessions. His family merged with what was originally The Thame Squash Club in 1997. Simon explained the club’s ethos:
“Racquets is, and always will be, a family place. It opened in 1975 as a squash club and over the years has been a home, a place to unwind, a social venue and now a fitness centre. We are delighted to welcome Dan Lucas as our 10,000th member to the club, which, by the way, still has member number one on its books!”
Racquets has helped to mould many great athletes and squash ‘pros’ over the years. Will John grew up at the club and is now ranked 200th best squash player in the world. Nigel Pattison has accomplished many incredible charity fitness events and raised thousands of pounds for local charities. Simon Martin himself became the Racketball European champion and two members of the club, Guy Fotherby and Darren Withey, hold the current marathon Squash Singles, Guinness World Record of 31 hrs 35 minutes and 34 seconds.
Recent new members include the Deputy Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, and 50% of the crew of Thame fire station trains at the club too, one of them now working at Racquets as a fitness instructor and the other as one of the club’s many top Thame personal trainers.
Summing up, Simon said: “At Racquets we have over 25 classes running throughout the week which are all very popular; we have three training areas including the cardio/weights room and the Grit yard for functional training.
“Racquets is a place for all the family and Christmas eve especially shows the club for what it is with young and old members and their families and friends, singing carols and generally enjoying the company of one another.
“In 2014 Racquets will continue to grow; we’re having a face lift, improving the inside areas and purchasing new training equipment to help our members achieve fat loss, muscle building and rehabilitation goals.
“10,000 members is a milestone for the club and as a family we thank current and past members for their support over the years and look forward to new and past members joining for the next chapter. 2014 promises to be a great year!
THANKS to the voluntary work of a retired Thame man, 1500 pupils from Thame’s three primary schools have had the opportunity to experience an alternative sport to the mainstream of football, rugby, tennis and cricket.
Roger Ridler, explained: “Since retiring in 2005, I have been organising a programme of Squash taster sessions for the three primary schools in Thame, Barley Hill, John Hampden & St Josephs. The schools visit Racquets Fitness Centre during school hours.
“The sessions give year 5 and 6 students an hour of 20 minutes squash basics, 20 minutes ball coordination and 20 minutes gym exercises over a period of four weeks for each class attending. This is a programme which is fully supported by the teachers and was instrumental in the club obtaining a grant from Oxfordshire Sports Partnership of £400 to purchase new junior equipment .
“Whilst I am a qualified coach I do this on a voluntary basis and Racquets Fitness Centre provides its facilities free of charge, including their gym staff, as well as generously awarding free, yearly Junior Memberships to selected students.”
To find out more about junior squash at Racquets Fitness Centre, visit the website.
THE achievements of talented young people in South Oxfordshire, including those of a young swimmer from Thame, were recognised at a special ceremony on Wednesday (04/12).
Young Achiever, Grace Gilmore receiving the Simon Burnett Competition Trophy 2012 at the Spread Eagle Hotel.- Image Courtesy of Thame Swimming Club
In all, 27 people between the ages of 11 and 18 were each awarded with certificates and a cheque for up to £250 to mark their accomplishments in art, sport and citizenship.
Grace Gilmore, a very successful member of Thame Swimming Club, received the Sport Award for achievements in swimming. Grace’s swimming has already earned her the Simon Burnett Competition Trophy 2012, for the Most Competitive Swimmer, by her club. This is awarded to the swimmer with the most points from races at all galas between January and December, and was presented to her at the club’s recent presentation evening at the Spread Eagle, Thame, by GB Olympic swimmer, Simon Burnett’s Mother, Melanie.
The Young Achievers Presentation event which took place at Benson Parish Hall, and was hosted by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council, Dorothy Brown and Ann Midwinter, and was part of the Young Achievers Scheme which recognises young achievers in the fields of arts, sports and citizenship.
Also among the 25 young people given awards on the night were Ben Smith, of Tiddington, Charley Noble, of Great Milton and Ellie Noble, also from Great Milton – each of them earning a Sport Award for Achievements in Cricket.
WITH cycling becoming more and more popular in Thame, a new cycle club has sprung up. Thame Cycling Club has been formed by Alasdair MacVarish of Cromwell Avenue Thame.
CHINNOR RFC’s motto of the day was clearly “defence wins matches” as they squeezed the life out of London Irish Wild Geese to record an away victory of 27-16, on Saturday (30/11).
Chinnor Captain, Liam Gilbert
From the kick-off, Wild Geese attacked vigorously and were rewarded with two quick penalty goals from Oscar Thomas to go 6-0 ahead on the sixth minute. With almost their first use of ball in the opposition half, Chinnor, through Frank Jones, exploited some pace out on the right. Quick hands from Liam Gilbert put Marston 15m from the line with three defenders to beat. A drop of the hips and some hard running saw Marston dot down for Chinnor’s opening try. Millett’s conversion put the visitors ahead 7-6 ahead with nine minutes on the clock.
Three minutes later, Thomas for the Wild Geese slotted his third penalty goal to put the home side 9-7 ahead. Chinnor’s Daniel Barnes was forced to leave the field after a lengthy delay suffering the effects of receiving his second, late armless tackle. Keohane, for the Wild Geese, kept his backs moving across the park in an effort to find a hole in the Chinnor defence. With the match being played almost exclusively in the Chinnor half for long periods, the Oxfordshire boys managed another breakout and were rewarded with a penalty which Millett dispatched to put Chinnor ahead 10-9 on 22 minutes. Rapid handling from Chinnor, on another breakout from one side of the field to the other, saw Harrison take the ball at top pace from behind his back, control it and touch down in the corner to put Chinnor 15-10 ahead on the 27th minute. Millett added the extras for a 17-9 lead.
After a further 10 minutes defending on their 22, Chinnor again broke out and, with fluidity and high skill, worked the blindside to allow Fielding to ghost through for a try under the posts. Millett converted to put the visitors 24-9, a score they defended until the half-time whistle.
The second half started with a Wild Geese attack in the Chinnor corner. After about 10 minutes of scrums and lineouts, Chinnor managed to clear their lines. It did not last long as Wild Geese took play back again to the same corner. With the Irish pack starting to gain ascendancy in the scrum, it only seemed a matter of time before a pushover try was awarded to the home side. Chinnor, however, repulsed everything thrown at them and managed once again to clear their lines. 19 minutes of play was concentrated five metres from the Chinnor line and Wild Geese’s only reward was one lineout, which they lost. It could not have been any more frustrating for the home side.
Chinnor then had the cheek to break out from their 22m citadel to gain three points, courtesy of a penalty goal from Millett on the 65th minute. Wild Geese came right back and again and laid siege to the Chinnor line. With play now well into overtime, Keohane eventually broke the Chinnor line to score under the posts. Converting his own try with a quickly taken drop conversion, Keohane closed the deficit to 27-16. Chinnor defended the last few seconds and slumped to their knees when the final whistle sounded, exhausted from their extraordinary defensive effort.
London Irish Wild Geese did not play like a team perilously close to relegation. They attacked freely and moved the ball well but were unlucky to come up against a side who knew how to defend. The Geese had a number of opportunities out wide but the Chinnor scramble defence was always up to the task.
In the first half, Chinnor defended comfortably and attacked with skill and pace to score their 3 tries – playing some of their best rugby of the season. Their defensive resoluteness and physical strength in the second half was a thing of wonder, given the relentless pressure from the home side.
Nick Harrison had a storming game in the first half and the whole team, impressively led by Liam Gilbert, was immense in the second half. However, new boy Jamie Townsend gave a man of the match performance – tackling fiercely, throwing accurately and, most of all, carrying the ball with power and purpose.
Chinnor: George Blewitt, Joe Marston, Matthew Goode, Dan Barnes, Leo Fielding, Will Millett, Frank Jones, Nathaniel Titchard-Jones, Jamie Townsend, Joe Winpenny, Tom Mowbray, Andrew Tibbats, Adam Hastings, Nick Harrison, Liam Gilbert (c) Replacements: Tom Whelan, Ian Stock, Andrew Smith, Sam Angell, Ricky Hopwood
THAME United progressed to the next round of the Supplementary Cup on Saturday (30/11) when they visited Headington Amateurs and defeated their hosts 2-3. Headington play in the Hellenic League Division One East where they currently occupy second place. This was therefore seen as a chance to rest some key players allowing Luke Hurley, Martin Griggs, and Matt Johnson to start.
The move however almost backfired as, with about 25 minutes remaining, Thame were trailing 2-1 and Mark West had to bring on two first choice players, and reshuffle his squad. The game saw the welcome return of Matt Hall who celebrated his homecoming with a well taken goal. Ian Pykett was injured during the warm up and striker Niall Hodgkins took his place at right back.
The opening exchanges were 50/50 but there were few chances created by either team. Thame took the lead after 20 minutes when Ellis Hercules met a Shannon Jesson free kick with a looping header which flew over the keeper into the top right. Sadly, minutes later, Johnson who was playing in central defence, was injured and was replaced by Nik Rhodes. The home side equalised 15 minutes later when Ollie Zaja met a ball from the left with a well placed 10-yard shot which gave Lee Farrow no chance. Thame were starting to look the stronger side and both Hurley and Griggs went close, but it was 1-1 at the break.
The home side went into the lead soon after the restart when they broke quickly and some slick passing stretched United’s defence allowing, former Thame player, Paul Hedger to fire home. A few minutes later Luke Ricketts made a great run on the left and hit a low ball across goal but the onrushing Hurley just failed to make contact. Lewis Cordice and Ben Connolly came on for Griggs and Hurley, whilst Hall, who had started on the right wing, moved to right back allowing Hodgkins to adopt his normal striker role. The shuffle paid off when, with eight minutes remaining, Hall got United’s second when he met a well taken Jesson corner with a classic far post header. It was all attack for Thame for the rest of the game, culminating in the final goal in the 90th minute, when Hodgkins knocked in a low ball from Ricketts at the far post.
Thame United: Farrow, Hodgkins, P Pykett, Hercules, Johnson (Rhodes), Lynch, Hall, Jesson Griggs (Cordice), Hurley (Connelly), Ricketts.
United are at home next Saturday (7th) when Abingdon Town are the visitors.
SOUTHEND laid the foundations of their 36-28 victory at Chinnor on Saturday, in the first half with three, well worked tries.
After an early exchange of penalties, Southend scored the first of their five tries on 10 minutes when Nash went over after a neat grubber kick through the rushing defence. Burr converted to put the visitors ahead 10-3. Millett came back for Chinnor on the 13th minute with a classy individual try to bring the score back to 10-8 to Southend.
Southend with their pack beginning to dominate, went further ahead on 18 minutes when Guess scored their second try, crashing over from a penalty catch and drive. Burrr’s conversion put the visitors ahead 17-8. Chinnor had little use of the ball until Millett’s penalty goal in the 22nd minute to reduce the deficit to 17-11. Chinnor went further behind to another grubber kick through the defence, this time with Vaughan dotting down on the 39th minute which saw the visitors go in 22-11 ahead at the break.
Five minutes into the second half, Southend went further ahead 27-11 when Vaughan scored his second try. Burr converted to increase Southend’s lead to 29-11 on the 46th minute. Southend then began to increasingly use the garryowen in open play to pressurise Chinnor. However, one such kick allowed Chinnor to stir from their slumbers when Goode blasted through to allow Marston, neatly sidestepping, to score Chinnor’s second try. Millett’s conversion closed the deficit to 18-29.
With 62 minutes gone, Chinnor scored again through Ian Stock from a rolling maul and with five minutes to play Stock went over for Chinnor’s third try to put the match score at 28-29 to Southend. The conversion missed but Chinnor, in their desperation to score, conceded a scrum penalty five metres from their own line. The Southend pack, dominant throughout the match, scored a push over try through Bloomburg and Burr’s conversion denied Chinnor a losing bonus point and closed the match at 36-28 to the visitors.
Teams
Chinnor: George Blewitt, Leo Fielding, Matthew Goode, Will Millett, Joe Marston,James Cathcart, Frank Jones, Nathaniel Titchard-Jones, Jamie Townsend, Joe Winpenny, Tom Mowbray, Andrew Smith, Adam Hastings, Nick Harrison, Liam Gilbert (c) Replacements: Alan Cawston, Ian Stock, Kai George, Sam Angell, Dan Barnes
Southend: Mark Billings, Sam Nash, Danny Cleare, Mike Stanley, Chris Vaughan, Bradley Burr, Lee Sandberg, Todd Bailey, Marcus Bloomburg, Mike Guess, Dan Legge, Max Crawford, Harry Hudson, David Jackson, James Callard Replacements: Jason Fardell, Jason Ox, Darryl Ox, Alex Harrison, Harry Branch
