Sat 14 Oct 2023, 15:00
Henley 2nds 19 Reading Abbey 25
Mark Hoskins
Abbey survived some nerve-jangling moments in the final stages of an absorbing match to record a significant bonus point victory in their top of the table encounter with previously undefeated Henley 2nds at Dry Leas. Not for the first time this season the win featured a superb display of scrummaging by the visitors’ pack, and the result sees Abbey return to the top of Counties 2 Tribute Berks/Bucks & Oxon South.
Henley, who were captained by former Abbey player Christian Floyd, were only able to field one replacement for this match. Abbey attacked from the kick-off, with hooker Zac Mayo, second row ‘Treacle’ Knights and centre Reuben Norville all involved before the ball was knocked on. Henley were put under pressure at the resulting scrum, but they managed to retain possession. However, Abbey soon won a penalty, which full back Charlie Shackleford kicked a huge distance to take play into the home 22. Second row Chris Shaw won the ensuing lineout, and Norville, outside half Scott Rennie and flanker Jack Peachey all made ground before the ball was lost. Shaw won the next lineout as well, and scrum half Sol Wallis Robinson linked well with young winger Max Wills before skipper Mike Beckly switched play from right to left. Unfortunately, Abbey lost the ball again, and the home threequarters instantly looked dangerous. A slick bout of handling released impressive centre Tom McCormick, who burst clear on a 40-metre run to score under the posts. Outside half Jordan Oatley converted with ease to give his side a 7-0 lead after six minutes.
Abbey booted the restart kick directly into touch, but they stole the ball at the ensuing scrum and Beckly, Peachey, Norville and his co-centre Arron Ross took play well into Henley half. Peachey handled again and prop Gereie Sutherland took the ball into the home 22. Ross, Norville and Mayo moved play to the right, and both Shaw and Shackleford were stopped just short of the line. But Abbey were not to be denied a score, and after good work from No.8 Ed Wisener and winger Furio Dawkins, Beckly plunged over for Abbey’s opening points. Shackleford was unable to convert from wide on the right.
Henley’s backs continued to threaten whenever they had a sniff of possession, and they extended their lead in the 17th minute when
full back Cameron Wicks crossed the line on the left after a good move. Oatley missed the conversion this time, and Abbey quickly stepped up a gear, dominating the remainder of the first half. Wills showed calm maturity in catching a high kick and setting up a move featuring Mayo, Rennie and Norville. Knights stole a home lineout, and after runs from Wisener and Peachey Abbey won a penalty. Shackleford produced another booming touch kick, and after Knights had won the lineout, Wisener, Norville and Wills made ground. The visitors won another penalty in the home 22 and Knights again won the lineout. Wallis-Robinson, Rennie, Shackleford and Dawkins handled before Shaw, whose work-rate was tremendous throughout the match, got a deserved reward as he crossed for Abbey’s second try. Again, Shackleford could not convert.
Henley knocked on the restart kick, and Abbey were soon on the rampage again. Norville made 30 metres, and Peachey and Rennie both punched holes in the defence before Mayo received the ball 20 metres from the line. The hooker set off on a brilliant diagonal run and barged his way over for a great individual try on the right. Although Shackleford’s conversion attempt again drifted wide, Abbey now had the lead – a lead they were destined to retain for the rest of the match. A great run by Peachy set up the next Abbey attack and a quick tap penalty from Norville gave Wills a run. However, a Henley counterattack saw the home side get perilously close to the Abbey line before great work from Shaw, Knights created a turnover. The home backs look a threat once more in the final moments of the first half, but when Abbey conceded a penalty and Henley kicked to the corner, brilliant defence at the lineout by prop Mat Woodrow kept the line intact. A compelling first half concluded with Abbey still 15-12 ahead.
Max Boucher replaced Wills at the start of the second half, and he was soon involved in a move which also featured Rennie, Wisener, Dawkins and Sutherland. Further phases of play took Abbey into the Henley 22, and Wallis-Robinson, Boucher and Wisener moved the ball to the right before Shackleford broke clear to cross for the bonus point try. His well-struck conversion made the score 22-12, and Abbey’s cause was further enhanced when Henley’s Jonno Hugkulstone, who had only just come on as a replacement, was shown a yellow card. Unfortunately, Abbey did not make the most of a couple of attacking lineouts in the next few minutes. Adam Postlethwaite came on for Sutherland, and another good attack saw Dawkins and Boucher take play close to the line. Shaw, Knights
and Peachey probed for a gap before Abbey were awarded a penalty near to the posts. The wise decision was made to go for goal, and Shackleford duly landed what rather surprisingly turned out to be Abbey’s final points of the afternoon. The sin bin period ended almost immediately afterwards.
Matt Eldridge replaced Knights in the Abbey pack, and soon after this Abbey conceded a penalty which resulted in Henley having a five-metre lineout. A long period of pressure followed, and eventually the ball was moved wide to the right, where winger Henry Gibbins crossed the line. Oatley’s superb touchline conversion made it a six-point game with nine minutes remaining. Sensing a comeback victory, Henley attacked again and pounded away at the line, but solid defence, with Wisener, Norville and Wallis-Robinson prominent, kept Abbey safe. Sutherland returned in place of Woodrow, while Callum House and George Goodenough provided fresh legs in the closing stages, replacing Rennie and Dawkins. A great break and kick ahead by Ross seemed to have set the seal on Abbey’s victory, but a penalty was conceded on the halfway line for a high tackle. Once more Henley kicked the ball into the 22, but Abbey defended the lineout brilliantly and scrambled the ball into touch to bring an excellent game of rugby to its conclusion.
It takes two sides to produce a memorable game of rugby. Henley contributed a lot to the afternoon’s entertainment and deserved their losing bonus point. McCormick was outstanding in the centre, with the rest of the backline not far behind him. However, Abbey deserved to win, and they really should have made more the of the period when Henley were reduced to 14 men. The back row was superb, with Peachey in particular looking brilliant in the loose. Shaw performed heroically in defence, Wills made an excellent impression in the first half, and Mayo was great around the field. Perhaps even more important was the tactical awareness and experience of Norville – he read the game so well and was a constant source of encouragement to the younger backs. The match was played in a great spirit and excellently controlled by referee Crispin Davis. This was arguably Abbey’s most significant victory for several seasons, and they can look forward to the visit of Crowthrone next Saturday with confidence.
Abbey: C Shackleford, F Dawkins (G Goodenough 78), A Ross, R Norville, M Wills (M Boucher 40), S Rennie (C House 78), S Wallis-Robinson, G Sutherland (A Postlethwaite 55), Z Mayo, M Woodrow
(G Sutherland 75), C Shaw, J Knights (M Eldridge 64), J Peachey, M Beckly (captain), E Wisener
Henley 2nds: C Wick, H Gibbins, T McCormick, Z Taylor, H Brothers, J Oatley, L Braithwaite, L Bailey, K Brouard, L Shpylka, E Mackenzie, C Floyd (captain), B Sainsbury (J Hugkulstone 46) , K Williams, M Poiner
Abbey:
Tries: Beckly, Shaw, Mayo, Shackleford
Con: Shackleford
Pen: Shackleford
Henley: Tries: McCormick, Wicks, Gibbins
Con: Oatley (2)
Yellow card:
Henley: Hugkulstone
Referee: C Davis (Berkshire) 
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