Category: Sports News

LEAGUE GAME – 5/1/13 – Thame United (Home) 1, versus Slimbridge 2; Thame United were narrowly defeated 1-2 by promotion hopefuls Slimbridge at the ASM stadium last Saturday in a bad tempered, and often physical game. The visitors came into the game on a run of nine games without defeat. After two weeks weather-enforced rest, Thame were at full strength and played well but it was simply not their day.

Thame players and management will be frustrated that the visitors managed to take the points despite not scoring a goal in open play.

United started brightly and went close after five minutes when Nik Rhodes met a corner with a header which hit the goalpost. Ben Gray then forced a couple of decent saves from the visiting keeper before, against the run of play; Slimbridge went ahead in the 17th minute. They were awarded a free kick on the left and knocked a high ball into the box which, during some header bagatelle, the ball was deflected into the net by a Thame player. The visitors grew in confidence as the half proceeded and Thame Keeper, Lee Farrow, was kept busy.

United came out fired up for the second half and shortly after the restart, Ben Connelly hit the crossbar. Thame were playing well and deservedly scored the equaliser in the 63rd minute. Dan West took a corner which was nodded towards Gray whose spectacular close range overhead kick found the roof of the visitor?s net. The parity only lasted for three minutes, as during a Slimbridge attack, Matt Willet was harshly judged to have unfairly held an opponent back and a penalty was awarded. Stuart Gates took the spot kick well, giving Farrow no chance.

Thame pressurised the visitor?s goal for the remainder of the match and, with a few minutes remaining, Farrow left his goal and joined his teammates in the Slimbridge penalty area for set pieces. Just before the final whistle Ben Connelly hit a quality cross which beat the goalkeeper and defenders, before falling to Substitute Matt Johnston but frustratingly his header flew over the bar.

Sadly, both Luke Ricketts and Dan West received injuries during a physical last 20 minutes, and are doubtful for Tuesday?s cup fixture.

Thame United: Farrow, Willett, Hall, Meredith, Rhodes, Hayes, Connelly, West (Johnston), Hodgkins, Ricketts (Barr).

Both the first team and reserves are without a fixture next Saturday 12th. The next home game is on 19th January when Reading Town are the visitors.

JOIN in the fun at a Charity Fitness Festival where you can take part in as many of the specialised classes as you would like!

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CHINNOR RFC maintained their undefeated home record on Saturday (05/01) when they beat Bournemouth in convincing style, scoring six tries in a 43-22 victory.

With Cathcart still out injured, Millett continued at fly half and last year?s player of the year, Alex Waddingham, returned to the squad after his heroic exploits in the recent varsity match at Twickenham.

Chinnor opened their afternoon?s tally in the fifth minute with a try from Frank Jones in the corner after a delightful backhand pass from skipper Winpenny. The match settled into a rhythm with Bournmouth focussed on battering a path through midfield and Chinnor phasing play to create opportunity for their backs. Millet was sin binned for illegally interfering with play as penalty goals were traded through the middle part of the half to give Chinnor a slender 8-3 lead. The game exploded in the 31st minute when a long downfield kick was fielded wide on the left hand Chinnor 22 by Colver. He immediately set the ball travelling at pace across the backs for Goode to touchdown in the corner. Colver then completed the move with a difficult conversion kick from the touchline to give Chinnor a 15-3 lead.

Five minutes later, Bournemouth?s No 8, Booth, crashed over from the base of a penalty scrum to reduce the visitor?s deficit to 15-8 at halftime.

Chinnor came out in the second half full of pace and intensity. Straight from the kick off, Bournemouth conceded a penalty. A rapid backs passing move saw Fielding glide over in the corner for his first try of the afternoon and a Chinnor lead of 20-8, improved by another difficult conversion from Colver for a 22-8 lead. A few minutes later, a smart dummy by Jones allowed the rampaging Mowbray a dash to the line for another try. Colver stepped up to increase the lead to 29-8. Bournemouth stuck to their midfield centred game plan but met stout resistance especially when Waddingham joined the fray.

On the 52nd minute, Chinnor conceded the softest of ties. Having stoutly defended on the line against a ferocious Bournemouth attack, Chinnor managed to turn the ball over for a 5 metre scrum. However, no-one but Bournemouth?s ever alert scrum half Sam Hardcastle, noticed the ball squirt out from the back of the scrum over the try line. Hardcastle trotted around unopposed for the simple touchdown. Pollard converted to make the score 29-15 in favour of the home side.

In the 55th minute, a passing movement of the highest order began by the increasingly influential Millett and involving several players was expertly finished by Hales with a sparkling try under the posts. Millett?s conversion stretched the lead to 36-15. Chinnor?s purple patch continued when another high speed passing movement saw Fielding again glide through the opposition for his second try. Millett converted to put the lead at 43-15 on the 60th minute. Bournemouth continued to press and after a 5 minute high intensity attack, were rewarded with a try from Connolly on the 77th minute. Pollard?s conversion made the final score 43-22 to the Oxfordshire boys.

Bournemouth played a high intensity physical game through their forwards with No 8, Booth, particularly prominent. Chinnor?s defence was more than up to the task and resisted well. The difference between the sides was in the backs. Chinnor had the time created by their forwards to utilise pace, fluidity and high quality passing for some spectacular scores. Millett grew in stature throughout the game and sparked some excellent moves. Fielding was graceful in attack and tigerish in defence. They were the youngest on the pitch.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Jones T; Fielding 2T; Goode T; Mowbray T; Hales T; Colver 3C, PG; Millett 2C
Bournemouth: Booth T; Hardcastle T; Connolly T; Pollard 2C, PG

Chinnor team:
Colver (Gray 53), Fielding, Goode (Hopwood 61), Stoop, Hales, Millett, Jones, Winpenny (Stock 67), Holyland, Berry (Pickett 53), Hughes (Waddingham 40), Smith, Mowbray, Sawyer, Gilbert
Replacements: Stock, Pickett, Waddingham, Hopwood, Gray

Chinnor llls beat Redingensians 53 ? 12. Another 9 try fest.

SOURCE: Contributed by Bill O’Donnell

THIS year, 2013 is the 50th year of Chinnor RFC’s existence and throughout the year, the club is planning a number of events to celebrate. The anniversary celebrations will begin with the launch of the club’s very own draught bitter. It’s not another beer with a different name – it has been specially brewed for Chinnor RFC and those involved in the tasting tests during brewing are very happy with the results!

Keep an eye on Chinnor RFC’s website for more information about future events.

THAME Swimming Club welcomed ex-Team GB Olympic swimmer and club patron, Simon Burnett and his wife, Team USA swimmer Whitney Myers-Burnett when they hosted a Christmas Master Class on Friday, December 28, 2012, at Thame swimming Pool.

Simon and Whitney held a thirty minute lecture at the start of the event giving swimmers an insight into their swimming careers and how it is important to focus during training. They also gave the Thame swimmers tips about how doing different things make you faster or slower, and then how to repeat that to be faster in a race situation.

The couple met club members and answered questions from the swimmers before they went to get changed for the two hour pool based session. In the pool, the swimmers practised training drills for all the strokes, trying different things to see what made a real difference to their speed. The session finished with some races where the swimmers had the chance to race against both Whitney and Simon.

Ian Goetz, the Chairman of Thame Swimming Club, said: “Simon and Whitney gave up their time whilst on a Christmas holiday in the UK with Simon?s family to come and run a master class on competitive swimming. Thanks must go to the team from BETTER who run Thame Leisure Centre, who provided the two hours in the pool and also the lecture room for free as the event was to raise funds for Oxford based Urology Cancer Charity ? UCARE, who Simon is also the patron of. All agreed that the event was a great success.”

Jean Simmonds from UCARE thanked Simon and Whitney and the swimmers for raising a total of

OXFORDSHIRE Senior Cup, 3rd round – Thame United 1, Ardley United 0; 18/12/12 – Match report: Thame United progressed to the next round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup at the ASM stadium on Tuesday evening, by the narrowest of margins. After 90 minutes, during which neither side were able to score, the game went into extra time, and the deadlock was eventually broken only after 100 minutes of play.

The visitors started brightly, forcing a good save from the on-form Thame keeper, Lee Farrow, within the first five minutes. Thame then settled and possession was 50/50 for the remainder of the game. Both sides were hitting long balls from defence, over the heads of opposing defenders to their two strikers. Half chances fell to Adam Rhodes, Niall Hodgkins, Ben Gray, and Luke Rickets, but they were all off-target.

Perhaps Thame?s best chance came a few minutes after the restart when Matt Hall ran to the left by-line and hit a low ball across the six-yard box, but both Gray and Hodgkins failed to connect. Minutes later, following a corner, an Ellis Hercules header was just high. Farrow, who was the busier keeper, made an outstanding save when he tipped a long shot onto the top of the Thame crossbar. Defences dominated and the sides effectively cancelled each other out.

The game went into extra time with the prospect of a penalty shoot out to follow. Ten minutes into the first period Dan West collected the ball on the left of the area before beating two defenders and heading towards goal. He was then tripped and the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. After the inevitable protests died down and the offender was shown a yellow card, Mitchell Meredith buried the spot kick. The remainder of the match was tense, as Ardley fought to get an equaliser but Thame held out and will play in the fourth round.

Thame United: Farrow, Willet, Meredith, Hercules, A Rhodes, Connelly, West, Hodgkins (Way), Gray (Johnson), Ricketts.

TWO friends of a young Thame sportsman who died in a fatal accident, held a sponsored football match on Sunday (16/12)to raise funds to help other young sports people through a Foundation set up in his name.

Jim Field and Jamie Surman raised

LEAGUE Game – 15/12/12 – Thame United 4, Shrivenham 0 – MATCH REPORT – Contributed by Bob Dixon: The Shrivenham team that Thame United defeated 4-0, at the ASM Stadium on Saturday was a shadow of the other Shrivenham sides they have met in recent years.

Shrivenham now are bottom of the league, so Thame?s convincing win was not unexpected. To make things worse the visitors’ goalkeeper was injured in the pre-match warm up and, having conceded three goals in the first half, was replaced by an outfield player at half time. Most of the game was played in heavy driving rain, making both the ball and the pitch slippery.

Thame controlled the game from the kick off. With seven minutes played, during which the ball had rarely left the visitors’ half, Connor Hayes hit an inspired diagonal ball to Ben Gray who headed the ball home confidently from 10-Yards. It was 2-0 in the eleventh minute when Luke Ricketts took United?s fifth corner and Ellis Hercules met it with an unstoppable far post header. Thame was being given too much space, but although Niall Hodgkins, Matt Willett, Gray and Ricketts all went close, the visitors held out until the 38th minute when United increased their lead with an opportunist goal. The ball fell to a defender just outside the penalty area but just as he was about to clear it, Gray closed him down and the ball hit Gray before rebounding into the net.

The visitors played better after the break and, on 54 minutes, Thame keeper, Lee Farrow, was forced to make his first save of the match. Although more threatening, Shrivenham never really looked like scoring. As United pressed, Matt Hall was unlucky to see his long, free kick hit the crossbar. It was however Hall who, in the 62nd minute, scored Thame?s fourth with a strong 20-yard shot. With the result in no doubt, Mark West was able to bring on all three substitutes. The remainder of the game was an anticlimax with few chances at either end.

Thame United: Farrow, Willett, Hall, Hercules, Meredith, Hayes, Connelly, West (Jewell), Hodgkins (Johnston), Gray, Ricketts (Way).

Thame meet Ardley United at the ASM Stadium on Tuesday, December 18, in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. Their next home game is on Boxing Day when Wantage are the visitors.

CHINNOR RFC V Taunton – Saturday, December 15, 2012 – Chinnor 29, Taunton 19; MATCH REPORT contributed by Bill O’Donnell; Chinnor, behind for most of the match, eventually overcame Taunton 29-19 in the final quarter. The Chinnor team began well when their constant pressure in the opposition 22 eventually led to a Taunton kick downfield which was caught by Fielding. He took the ball back strongly and passed inside to Colver who returned the ball for a Fielding try in the corner in the fifth minute.

Chinnor lost the ball in midfield and Taunton swept the ball along their backs for a Struminski try in the corner. Kingdom?s conversion put the visitors from Somerset 7-5 ahead in the 22nd minute. Taunton again used their backs to good effect when, straight from a scrum in the Chinnor 22, Struminski went over in the same corner for his second try to put Taunton 12-5 ahead in the 30th minute. Five minutes later, Colver reduced Chinnor?s deficit with a penalty goal to allow Taunton a 12-8 lead at half-time.

Four minutes into the second half, Chinnor went further behind. Metres from the Taunton line, the pass was intercepted and handed on to Struminski who raced downfield for his hat trick score under the Chinnor posts. Kingdom?s conversion put the visitors 18-8 ahead. And then the heavens opened. The deluge of rain seemed to benefit Chinnor more than their visitors. Colver landed another penalty goal for Chinnor in the 56th minute. Straight from the kick off, Goode caught the ball and weaved through the Taunton defence to dot down under the posts. Colver?s conversion brought the match score to 19-18 in favour of Taunton.

Taunton continued to hassle and hurry but were guilty of giving away too many penalties. Colver benefited from these indiscretions, slotting penalty goals in on the 67th and 73rd minutes. With the referee poised to blow for full time, Ian Stock picked up a loose ball from a line out and, like a ten pin bowling ball, scattered defenders on his 20 metre charge to the line for a try for Chinnor, to conclude the match 29-19 in Chinnor?s favour.

Taunton played at a level above that which their league position indicated. They have a tough front row and a flyer in Struminski. They certainly gave Chinnor a fright. Although Chinnor did not bring their ‘A’ game to the match they were calm enough to bring the match back in the last quarter. Colver?s kicking was again excellent. Matthew Goode had a fine all round match ? with his try from his own half being the highlight.

Chinnor have no more matches until the New Year when they meet old rivals Bournemouth at Kingsey Road on January, 5..

Scorers:
Chinnor: Fielding T; Goode T; Stock T; Colver C, 4PG
Taunton: Struminski 3T; Kingdom 2C
Chinnor team:
Colver, Fielding, Goode, Stoop, Hales, Millett, Jones, Winpenny (Stock 62), Holyland, Berry (Pickett 62), Hughes (Harrison 62), Smith, Mowbray, Sawyer, Gilbert
Replacements: Stock, Pickett, Harrison, Hopwood, Gray

SOUTH Oxfordshire’s Get Oxfordshire (GO) Active scheme that aims to get adults in Oxfordshire more active by taking part in organised sporting and exercise activities – including those in Thame where the Thame beginners’ jogging group will start early in 2013.

One of the scheme’s focus areas covers the ‘Run England’ project which is England Athletics’ recreational running program. There are numerous running groups in the South Oxfordshire District, including Thame’s, and new groups are springing up as the project progresses.

Also taking place early in the new year will be Rush Hockey sessions at Lord Williams’s Upper school’s Astro turf pitches at Thame Leisure Centre. As with the jogging group these sessions are also free and aimed at 16 – 25 year olds predominantly. The session begin on Wednesday, January 23 ? 27 February 2013, at 6 ? 7 pm.

All sessions to be led by Thame Hockey Club qualified coaches. To register your interest and for more information contact Dan Barber on
01491 823128 or daniel.barber@southandvale.gov.uk