Seconds give it their all

Chinnor Seconds Match Report for 19th November 2011
Chinnor Seconds vs. Westcombe Park RFC
Chinnor Seconds travelled to Westcombe Park, another club with their first team in National 2 and another game with huge challenges in this strong league that we play in. Having lost four players to AWOL (you know who you are) and 10 Players to injuries and Colts not available, it was destined to be a tough day at the office. Thanks to the help from the third team we travelled to Westcombe with a team of 15 players. Hoping for no injuries! Sadly no such luck! For the first twenty minutes Chinnor had the upper hand and were the much better team. We conceded a penalty after 10 minutes and went 3 points down. We also had two great chances of getting tries with overlaps and with having made the wrong decision came away with nothing. Sam Angell then went over for a try and also converted and we were in the lead 7 points to 3. A minute later we lost full back Thad Cooper to a torn hamstring and we were down to 14 players. To add salt to the wound 5 minutes later Sam Angell twisted his ankle but stoically stayed on the pitch (thank you) so were subsequently down to 13 ½ players. At 30 minutes we kicked down field and with a moment badly organised defence allowed their full back to run through the whole team and scored giving Combe the lead 8 points to 7. Chinnor did have a chance of retaking the lead but a penalty kick just shaved the uprights. Two minutes to half time Combe hacked a loose ball down field and won the race to the try line for an unconverted try. Chinnor came right back with a successful penalty and the half finished with Coombe in the lead by 13 points to 10. Not bad for the thirteen and a half players The second half Chinnor held their own and were unlucky to concede points with the disadvantage of playing with 13 players as well as the stoic Angel having suffering with his ankle but refusing to come off the field knowing that the team needed him. In the latter stages of the third quarter Combe brought on their entire bench of five and exploited our weakness with no full back by kicking the ball behind us, and of course took advantage of the situation and ran in 3 tries, giving them a commanding lead of 37 points to 10. Chinnor then managed to reorganise themselves and for the last 10 minutes you would not have believed that they had been playing with 13 players for three quarters of the game. They were rewarded with a converted try by Ben Ramsdale and converted by one legged Angell. Final score 37 points to 13 in Westcombe Park favour. Man of the match went to two player’s captain Ed Rixon and new boy Al Blewitt. A big thank you to Amy the physio that help keep the boys on the pitch and also ran on with water bottles for the entire game.
I just can’t put into words how proud I am of the team as after the game the boys had nothing left to give. I love you guys
Walter McGuicken Chinnor Seconds Manager