Category: Sports News

THAME NETBALL: Thame Torndaoes V Bedgrove – December 5, 2012: The game began frantically, with a great shot from Leila opening the scoring for Thame. However Bedgrove hit back instantly throughout the first quarter. With swift passing from both sides, this was shaping up to be a great game, with the score locked at 5-5!

The second half was a successful one for Thame, in which they were able to take the lead through some accurate shooting from the attackers, particularly Charlotte who seemed incapable of missing a shot! Going into the break, Thame managed to take a 13-10 lead.

The third quarter was a very high scoring one with both teams desperate to win the game, showing a lot of aggression, with Mel W (C) becoming rather animated at times. Bedgrove tried to reduce the deficit but Thame managed to hang on to a 23-20 lead with only one quarter left.

The final quarter was one of great anxiety for the Thame supporters on the sideline who looked across to the scoreboard after every goal. However, the Thame team was able to control the final stages of the game to take a well deserved 31-28 victory, the only team to beat top of the league Bedgrove this half of the season.

SOURCE: Contributed by Bradley Rose

CHINNOR Rugby Club is celebrating this evening after two of its players contributed to Oxford’s victory in the Varsity match at Twickenham today.

Thame boy, Bob Baker and Alex Waddingham who has also played for Chinnor, took their places in the Oxford University side that beat Cambridge 26-19.

Photo: Bob Baker

OXFORDSHIRE Cup Game – Quarter finals – Monday, December 3 – Chinnor lls vs. Henley lls -Match report by Walter McGuicken:

CHINNOR seconds welcomed Henley Bulls to Kingsey road this week for an eagerly awaited first round of the Oxfordshire Cup Game. It was just a pity that the two finalists from last year had to meet in the first round. It was destined to be a tough game and Henley, having something to prove after losing last year?s final, as well as the league game five weeks ago, arrived in confident mood and determined to regain the upper hand.

The teams came out fired up from the start and the pace of the game was electrifying with great rugby being played by both teams. Henley proved to be more of a match for Chinnor on this occasion up front, and the game was very competitive around the break down. Forwards and backs worked well and it took fifteen minutes before the first points were scored, and this was a try for Chinnor by new boy to the club, Adrian Hales.

Utilising the full length of the field, both teams attacked and defended well and it took another fifteen minutes for Chinnor to increase the lead with a successful penalty by Sam Angell. Henley came straight back when a clearance kicked down field and landed a lucky bounce into the hands of a chasing Henley player who scored, but the conversion was missed from in front of the posts as was a penalty a few minutes later from about the same spot. A carbon copy of Henley?s first try came in the 38th minute, but this time due to a few missed tackles. Henley took the lead with a converted try and the half finished 12 points to 8 in Henley?s favour.

The second half started with Chinnor ‘upping the ante’, not being happy about losing the lead. Four minutes in, Captain Ian Stock broke through the centre and carried the ball well into the Henley half where it was off-loaded to Jack Horwood who passed the ball to Trevor (The General) Powell who powered his way over the try line with a number of Henley boys attached to his back. The try was converted by Angell, and Chinnor were back in the lead 15 points to 12.

Henley then levelled the scores by way of a penalty, only for Chinnor to take the lead with another successful penalty by Angell. Chinnor then moved further ahead with a great individual try by Dave Hughes and they increased their lead to 25 points to 15 with 20 minutes left to play. It was at this stage that a couple of Henley players took their eye off the ball resorting to rough play instead of tough rugby to the detriment of their team, and allowed Chinnor another successful penalty by Angell giving Chinnor a 28 points to 20 lead.

This was a game that 40 players gave their all to, with very good rugby being played by both sides and a credit to both clubs; well done both teams!

Once again a big problem to single out any one – Ed Rixon, Nick Harrison, George Blewitt and many others. But Man of the Match goes to Captain Fantastic who left nothing on the field. Your Dad would be so proud of you and the team!

What a result for the Chinnor Seconds! We asked for 11 out of 11 and you did us proud. The club salutes each and every one of you!

PHOTO: Man of the Match, Ian Stock

Semi Final Draw for County Cup,
Chinnor v Witney
Oxford University Greyhounds v Wallingford
To be played 2nd/3rd February 2013

THAME UTD’S Cup game against Ardley has now been moved to December 18. The next home fixture for United will therefore be on Saturday, December 15, when Shrivenham are the visitors.

Latest Thame United match report: LINK HERE

AWAY League game: Saturday, December 1, 2012 – Flackwell Heath 2, Thame United 3; MATCH REPORT (Contributed) :

THAME United returned to their winning ways on Saturday when they visited Flackwell Heath and narrowly defeated their hosts 2-3. This was a good result as Thame were not at full strength, and despite having played fewer games, Flackwell were 2 league places above United. Despite the cold, it was a hugely entertaining game to watch, with both teams playing fast attacking football.

Thame scored after 8 minutes when Dan West won, and then took a free kick, 30-yards from goal; floating a ball in which Nik Rhodes met with a powerful, well placed, 10-yard header. It was all square 2 minutes later, when Mitchell Meredith was judged to have fouled an opponent in the area and John Isaac buried the spot kick. The hosts then took the lead on 16 minutes when a ball from midfield found former Thame player, Lewis Cordice in enough space to skilfully lift the ball over the advancing Thame keeper, Lee Farrow.

It was real end to end stuff, and United equalised with the best goal of the match after 30 minutes play. A throw in on the right found Niall Hodgkins, who headed the ball into the danger zone, but behind Ben Gray, who hit a quality half scissors kick into the top right hand corner of the Flackwell goal. West had a good chance when Calvin Evans made a good run to the right by-line and passed to him, but his shot was high. The game was tied at 2-2 when the teams went in for the half time break.

There was controversy 8 minutes after the restart when Nik Rhodes made a tackle from behind, on a home striker as he ran at goal, just outside the penalty area. Referee Sennett blew up and then consulted his linesman before deciding it was a ?last man? red card offence. Whilst this was a debatable decision, the referee then proceeded to dismiss the wrong man as the totally innocent Ellis Hercules was sent to the changing room. Down to 10 men and with the bulk of the second half remaining, United were forced to switch Evans to right back and move Meredith to central defender. Hodgkins also played deeper, and with only Gray up front, it was one-way -traffic as Flackwell laid siege to United?s goal.

The home side hit the crossbar twice and a goalpost once before, against the run of play, United scored the winner with 15 minutes of normal time remaining. Richard Jewell hit a long range shot which the home keeper should have collected comfortably but he knocked it into the path of Gray who was able to react quickly and fire home from 15-yards. The remainder of the match was nail-biting, but United held on to take the points.

This valuable win sees Thame climb 3 league places to 7th position.

Thame United. Farrow, Meredith, Hall, Hercules, Rhodes, Jewel, Evans, West, Hodgkins, Gray (Johnson), Ricketts.

United are away to Highworth next Saturday. Their next home game at the ASM Stadium is on Tuesday 11th December when they meet Ardley on the 3rd round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup.

THE annual Thame 10km road race is Thame?s largest mass participation sports event which, from a humble start in the 1980s as a charity fund raiser for the Thame Boys Brigade, has grown to one of the key sporting fixtures in Thame.

The event sees 1000 runners pounding a course through the town centre to Towersey and back along the Phoenix Trail. Thame Runners took over the organisation of the event after the first year but have kept the charities principle, allocating profits to local Thame charities. From the rain-soaked 2012 event, cheques totalling

National 2 South – Saturday, November 24, 2012; Chinnor 22 Southend 5; MATCH REPORT – Contributed by Bill O’Donnell.

CHINNOR, with Stoop and Goode returning to the back line, took their time to overcome stubborn Southend at Kingsey Road in grim and grisly conditions. Southend began the better of the two sides when, in the fourth minute, after a series of good scrums, they scored a pushover try with Cook touching down. Chinnor began their scoring when Cathcart slotted a penalty goal in the 10th minute to make the match score 5-3 in favour of the visitors.

Chinnor began to gain territorial advantage and looked certain to score on at least three occasions when the greasy ball was dropped as the line approached. Gray, in the 19th minute, eventually got on the end of a sweeping backs move to touch down in the corner to put Chinnor 8-5 ahead in the match. In one of Southend?s forays into the Chinnor half, a fracas ensued in the 31st minute, at which the referee, Mr Karl Kirkpatrick, took a dim view of the behaviour of Southend?s Lee Guest and dismissed him from the field. It remained 8-5 to the home side at half time .

During the break, the injured Cathcart was replaced by Will Millett, whose tackler bashing run in the 58th minute brought a second try for Chinnor and Colver?s conversion increased the lead to 15-5 for Chinnor. New boy, Adrian Hales, on for Jones, soon made his presence felt with a mazy run to score a third try for Chinnor in the 77th minute. Millett?s conversion made the lead 22-5 for Chinnor. Chinnor, desperate for a bonus point try with two minutes remaining, forced Southend into dropping the ball. Millett pounced to fly hack the ball down the field twice. It crossed the line amid a flurry of diving players for the referee, who had done well to keep up with play, ruling out the try ? and then blew for full time.

Southend, with a good pack, were obdurate opponents and defended well. They coped well when down to 14 men.
Chinnor were unusually lacklustre, mainly due to the difficult weather conditions and will be upset at dropping so many balls in try scoring situations. This was, for both sides, a low energy affair with, at one stage, a period of 40 minutes between scores. Sawyer proved to have an iron jaw and, with Hastings, topped the tackle count. Berry was again mobile and effective and Millett?s lively interventions brought a sparkle to a dank and dull day.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Grey T; Millet T; Hales T; Cathcart PG; Colver C; Millet C

Southend: Cook T
Chinnor team:
Colver, Gray, Goode, Stoop, Fielding, Cathcart (Millett 40), Jones (Hales 48), Pickett, Holyland, Berry (Winpenny 68), Mowbray (Hughes 59), Smith, Sawyer, Hastings, Gilbert
Replacements: Winpenny, Whelan, Hughes, Millett, Hales

LEAGUE MATCH – 24/11/12 – Thame United 2, Highworth Town 2. MATCH REPORT – Contributed: After several days of rain, Thame United?s home game against Highworth Town last Saturday was one of only two Hellenic Premier League games to go ahead.

More heavy rain fell during the match making the ball greasy, the pitch slippery and attractive football difficult. Nevertheless, despite the conditions, it was an enthralling contest between two evenly matched sides which resulted in a 2-2 draw. Thame were without Alex Stewart who damaged his knee again last Saturday and could be absent for several months.

The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges but United soon settled and both Dan West and Niall Hodgkins worked the visiting Keeper. After about 15 minutes United started to gain the upper hand and went ahead on 25 minutes when a West free kick was headed onto Ellis Hercules who forced the ball home from close range. Thame controlled the remainder of the half and, although Ben Connelly made some good runs, they struggled to create any real chances.

A few minutes after the restart, Thame keeper, Lee Farrow made an outstanding save to maintain their lead. United?s second goal came on 53 minutes; following a pass from Connelly, Mitchell Meredith ran to the right by-line and hit a low cross which the keeper parried into the path of Hodgkins who reacted quickly to fire home from 8 yards. A united win looked likely, but Highworth had other ideas and began to win more of the ball. Their first goal came in the 68th minute from a ball in from the right which Steven Robinson took on his chest before turning and beating both his marker, and Farrow from 12-yards.

Thame switched formation, shoring up the defence by pulling Stuart Barr back to protect their goal and leaving Hodgkins as the lone striker. This seemed to intensify the visitor?s resolve to press for another goal, which came 2 minutes from the end of normal time, when substitute Aaron Maximen met a ball from the left to head home the equaliser.

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

United are away next two Saturdays. Their next home game at the ASM Stadium is on Saturday 15th December when they Shrivenham are the visitors.

FA Vase 2nd Round Proper; 17/11/2012 – Thame United 2, Lordswood 3 – MATCH REPORT – Contributed by Bob Dixon

THAME United?s run in the FA Vase came to an end at the ASM Stadium last Saturday when they were narrowly defeated by Kent based club Lordswood FC. It was an entertaining game between two evenly matched sides which was decided by a penalty.

The opening exchanges were even but the visitor?s went ahead after 7 minutes when a ball from the left was lifted over Thame heads finding Jordan Wells, who turned and hit a low shot into the corner of the Thame goal. United fought back, but had few chances until they equalised in the 23rd minute with the best goal of the match. Dan West was in space, 30-yards from goal, when he hit a quality shot high into the left corner of the visitor?s goal, bringing vigorous applause from Thame supporters and disbelief to the many Lordswood followers. Thame?s on-form keeper Lee Farrow made some good saves and it was 1-1 at the break.

United played with more fluency in the second half and created some good chances. The speedy Luke Ricketts was a constant threat with his runs on the left wing. Niall Hodgkins forced a good save from the visiting keeper and Ben Connelly was unlucky when he met a Matt Hall cross with a header which was narrowly wide. The visitors however went ahead, against the run of play, in the 71st minute when Gary Cook headed in a corner at the far post. Again united came back and equalised four minutes later. Ricketts took a free kick on the right, about 35-yards out, and Alex Stewart met the ball with his head, getting a slight deflection, sending it beyond the impressive visiting keepers reach.

The match was tied and, with 10 minutes remaining and a replay looked possible but unfortunately Nik Rhodes mistimed a tackle, and a penalty was awarded to the visitors. It was a tackle that, at most, deserved a yellow card but amazingly, and totally without justification, Rhodes was dismissed from the pitch. Lee Maskell took a good spot kick, giving Farrow no chance. Tension mounted as United again pushed for an equaliser but the exhausted Hodgkins missed a good chance and the keeper made a good save from a Stewart shot. Both Connelly and West went close, but the visitors held onto their lead, and will progress to the next round.

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

United return to league action at the ASM stadium next Saturday 24th when Highworth Town are the visitors.

EVENT: Oxfordshire U20 vs. Oxford University U20
Venue: Kingsey Road, Thame
Date: Wednesday 21st November 2012
Time: 19:30