Sat 5 Feb 2005
Wallingford 54 Thatcham 0 (5th Feb 2005)
Wallingford turned in their most convincing performance of the New Year with their backs in devastating form running out 54-0 winners over bottom side Thatcham. The visitors had no answer to the pace and quick hands of the home side’s threequarters and this was demonstrated by a great individual display be centre Don JENKINS, who helped himself to 4 tries. What with his 2 tries at Chipping Norton last week he'll be pushing Henry VENNERS for top try scorer come the end of the season. Wallingford opened the scoring on the quarter of an hour mark when skipper Olli HENDERSON made the initial break and linked with inside centre JENKINS who raced in from 30 metres for a try that was converted by HENDERSON.
Some resolute first line defence from the visitors meant that Wallingford had to wait another 20 minutes before increasing their lead and again it was excellent linking between the backs and forwards. First of all Number 8 made the initial break on the Wallingford 10 metre line and then he linked with the threequarters and this resulted in JENKINS beating the covering defence to grab his second try. However this time HENDERSON failed to convert, his only failure with the boot all afternoon. On the stroke of half time HENDERSON himself split the defence to score a fine individual try which he duly converted from wide out.
The visitors had the better of the early exchanges at the start of the second half without ever really looking like scoring. However Wallingford made the game safe when a wonderful inside pass from centre JENKINS found full back VENNERS who raced in from 40 metres for a try converted by HENDERSON. This score seemed to open the floodgates and with Thatcham visibly tiring as the game went on there were further tries at regular intervals for JENKINS (2), VENNERS and skipper HENDERSON who finished with a 24 point haul. Apparently a New Zealand bought jug of beer tastes so much sweeter than an English one !!!
Next Saturday the First XV take a break from league action when they visit local rivals Didcot for an eagerly anticipated semi-final of the Oxfordshire Plate Cup. The kick off is 2.30pm and it would be great to see as many spectators make the short trip to shout the lads on as the incentive is a final played at Iffley Road in April.
