Sat 16 Feb 2019
Wallingford travelled the short road to Reading Abbey on a mild February afternoon looking to get their season back on track after a tough start to 2019.
In selection, Wallingford were able to welcome back Nathan Chapman and Dave Baxter to the back row, and Jackson Sayce in the backs.
Reading Abbey were quickest out of the blocks, and nearly scored early after Dan Sadler uncharacteristicly fumbled a box kick, and the Abbey no.8 was only denied by a last ditch tackle from Ralph Smith.
After weathering an early storm, Wallingford started to get into the game, and made early inroads through Sadler and Smith, and were eventually rewarded with a simple penalty in front of the posts which Phil Dawes converted.
The next score was one of the stranger tries you’ll see on a rugby pitch.
With the ball kicked through, the Abbey full back misjudged the bounce on half way, and Craig Irwin kicked through. With the ball bouncing towards the line, Irwin and the Abbey full back both attempted to fly hack the ball, and all though it looked like the ball was flying out of play, it somehow stayed in play in the large dead ball area and Irwin showed impressive pace to complete his odyssey and dive on the ball in the far corner.
Abbey came back, and after Wallingford conceded several penalties in their half, Abbey managed to burrow over for an unconverted try.
The back and forth nature of the game continued as Wallingford then extended their lead. After several phases of penetrative running, Wallingford broke into the Abbey twenty-two and Phil Dawes was on hand to throw the scoring pass to Dave Baxter who scored in the corner. Dawes converted impressively from the touch line.
Abbey, who you’d normally associate with open backs-based rugby, then opted to a tighter game, with their forwards picking and going to some effect, as they inched their way into the Wallingford twenty-two. With pressure mounting, and having already been warned by the referee, Nathan Chapman couldn’t resist on the floor of a ruck and was sent to the bin.
But despite Abbey’s best efforts, Wallingford heroic defence kept the hosts out until half time.
The second half was a brutal affair, with both sets of forwards engaging in an extremely physical battle in the tight.
It was Abbey’s turn next to score, after their influential scrum half sniped down the blind side to score a converted try.
In a hectic half, Wallingford soon struck back. With Dan Sadler making an electric break to take play up to the Abbey twenty-two, the ball was moved right and Sayce stepped the defence to ghost over the line for an unconverted try.
The next quarter of the match saw Abbey dominate. With Wallingford starting to fall off tackles and give away penalties, Abbey made regular inroads. After Dawes was sin-binned for cynical trip on his opposite number, Abbey kicked a simple penalty to reduce arrears.
Despite the numerical deficit, Wallingford managed to score the next crucial try. After Abbey looked to counter-attack from their half, a brilliant Pete Holton tackle and turn over caught the hosts dozing and Dan Sadler took the chance to sprint in from twenty five meters. Sayce converted in Dawes’ absence.
Abbey didn’t give up, and came back hard. After sustained pressure, they squeezed two tries in opposing corners, but crucially, the conversion struck the post as the visitors’ slim two point lead remained intact.
The last few minutes saw Abbey struggle to get out of their half, and after a turnover on halfway, Wallingford were able to close out the game.
There is rarely much to choose between the two sides in this fixture, and it proved to be the case again. Wallingford probably played the more interesting rugby, but Abbey retained possession brilliantly throughout with their tight game,which starved the visitors of possession for long periods, and Abbey were probably a bit unlucky not to get at least a draw from the game.
For Wallingford, the forwards fronted up well, with Tappin, Jeffrey and Baxter all impressive, whilst in the backs, Sayce and Sadler managed the game well, but Man of the Match went to Craig Irwin, whose set-piece was solid, and was increasingly prominent in the loose.
Special mention must also go to the referee, who was nearly flawless in his display - he communicated well, listened to the captains, and interpreted the laws accurately and consistently throughout.
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