Sat 19 Feb 2005
Oxford 19 Wallingford 22
Wallingford just managed to edge out their Oxfordshire rivals 22-19 in an exciting match at Horspath Road, with the lead changing hands several times during the 80 minutes. Due to their crippling injury list and unavailability the visitors fielded a much changed back line which took a long while to gel together. Missing was top try scorer and full back Henry VENNERS and also second team captain Glenn DEARLOVE was asked to fill in at scrum half. However the side did welcome back outstanding prop Lee BLEWETT whose been unavailable for the last 5 weeks. Playing with a strong wind in thefirst half the home side took the lead after only a minute when after being penalised at a ruck Oxford kicked a penalty from almost in front of the posts. The home side’s outside half continued to make good use of the wind to peg the visitors back into their own half, but Oxford didn’t manage to increase their lead until the half hour mark when after another infringement at the breakdown the home side kicked a straightforward penalty. The last 10 minutes of the first half saw both sided go close to coring but it was Wallingford who managed to reduce the deficit just before the break.
A quickly taken penalty on the halfway line by Wallingford’s Number 8 Peter THORNS saw him then link with his threequarters and after quick hands by the backs right wing Nick RISK scored in the corner. Skipper Olli HENDERSON missed with the conversion but with the strong wind at their backs in the second half the visitors were delighted to turnaround at half time just trailing by a point.
Wallingford had the better of the early exchanges at the start of the second half and it was no surprise when they took the lead after Oxford were penalised for offside, with Olli HENDERSON slotting a penalty to make it 8-6. However with Wallingford missing far too many first time tackles Oxford started to get more and more into the game and they regained the lead with another short range penalty. Then halfway through the second half Wallingford struck back after some concerted pressure on the Oxford line prop Rae YOUNG burrowed his way over for a try which was well converted by HENDERSON.
The home side cut the deficit with another penalty before taking the lead when some dreadful tacking in the Wallingford midfield allowed the Oxford left wing to break clear from his own 10 meter line and then link with his back row to send the flanker over under the posts for a try which was converted. This was the final straw for coach Chris NORRINGTON who decided to shore up the defence by bringing himself on !!! It seemed to do the trick and the last 5 minutes saw Wallingford throw everything at Oxford, and they were rewarded for their efforts when flanker Matt CHAPMAN crashed for a try that was converted from wide out by HENDERSON to finally seal the game in the visitors favour.
Next Saturday sees another local derby with the visit of Oxfordshire side Littlemore to the Hithercroft. The side will be desperately hoping that some of the regulars will be available again.
