Reading 1st XV 32 vs. Chinnor
1st XV 32
Saturday 9th February 2008
South West Division One
Chinnor draw in tense match
Chinnor were comfortably in front
during the first quarter of the first half and in the opening
salvo's of the second but on both occasions allowed Reading back
into the game . Although Reading took the lead as early as the
3rd minute when powerful No.8 Ledau Jope picked up from the base
of the scrum and scored wide out, Chinnor were soon back in the
hunt some seven minutes later. A sharp three-quarter move saw
the ball reach Phil Huxford who turned on the gas to round his
opposite number to score in the corner. A fine conversion by
James Cathcart, who also slotted a penalty put Chinnor in the
ascendancy. They then scored a superb try when Ben Hewitt carved
an opening on Chinnor's right, handed onto the ever supportive
Grizz McQuire before the ball eventually found Darren Oxley to
finish the move in the left hand corner. This gave Chinnor a 12
point cushion which was almost instantly reduced when Karneli
Vuadreu intercepted a pass in the middle of the park to go over
unopposed. That he caught the ball behind him in making the
interception lead to a suspicion that he might have been
off-side, however Chinnor's lead was reduced by 7 points. A
trademark Pip Seymour try was next on the agenda when Chinnor
moved the ball across the field allowing Seymour to chip ahead
and win the chase for the touchdown. A fine conversion from wide
out put Chinnor ahead 22 points to 12 at the half way mark.
With Cathcart kicking a penalty
just after the interval it appeared that Chinnor were in
control. However a piece of loose defence, when indeed Chinnor
were on the attack, allowed centre Peceli Nacarnavuto in for the
first of his three tries. A penalty from Alex Wallace made
further in roads into the Chinnor lead and when Nacarnavuto went
over for his second try and Wallace added the extras , Reading
were in front. Chinnor came back, created space on the right and
Jaike Carter scored. Another conversion from the touchline put
Chinnor once more in the lead but a try by Nacarnavuto levelled
the scores. Try as they might in the closing stages, Chinnor
could not get the score which would have clinched this hard
fought game.
Chinnor worked hard for their
tries but unfortunately gifted Reading a couple of scores ,
although one of these was highly debatable. Its one thing
turning up to find your opponents fielding 9 current British
Army players, 6 of whom are Fijians, its another for the home
side to also arrange the weather for their imports.!!. Blue
skies and temperatures more akin to June. Hope both these
conditions and the players prevail for the Bracknell visit to
Reading.
