Sat 9 Oct 2004
Thatcham 5 Wallingford 50 (09.10.04)
Wallingford chalked up another 50 point league victory this time away to lowly Thatcham, and if it hadn’t been for some strange refereeing decisions the winning margin could have been even greater. Despite playing into a strong wind in the first half the visitors took the lead after 10 minutes with a try scored by David KEABLE which was converted by Olli HENDERSON. That lead was extended on the twenty minute mark when fly half HENDERSON broke through the Thatcham cover defence from 30 yards out and scored a fine individual try which he converted. Wallingford had a wealth of possession and looked likely to score at every opportunity but weren’t allowed to use quick ruck ball by the spoiling tactics of the home side which went unpunished by the referee. Then just before half time Wallingford extended the lead when livewire scrum half Derek VILJOEN went over from a 5 metre scrum but on the occasion HENDERSON failed with the conversion. Then on the stroke of half time Thatcham got their only points of the afternoon when their scrum which had been under immense pressure all afternoon managed to shove the Wallingford 8 backwards at a 5 meter scrum and their scrum half dived over.
At the start of the second half with the wind at their backs the visitors killed the game off as a contest when prop Lee BLEWETT who was once again outstanding in the loose took an inside ball from HENDERSON to crash over for a try which wasn’t converted. The interpretation of the breakdown by the referee hindered the quick ball that Wallingford were trying to secure and spoilt the game as a spectacle. However further tries did follow at regular intervals scored by number 8 Peter THORNS, centre Mike CHAPMAN and two further tries for scrum half Derek VILJOEN, who completed a fine hat trick. Olli HENDERSON converted the last 3 tries.
Next Saturday the First XV take a break from League action with the visit of Farnham Royal in the second round of the National Junior Vase Cup. Only another 8 rounds to Twickenham.
