Sat 7 Sep 2024, 14:00
Reading Abbey 17 Windsor 21
Mark Hoskins
At half time in their first match on returning to Counties 1 Tribute Southern North, Abbey looked decidedly second best to Windsor. They trailed 21-5 against a team which had narrowly missed out on promotion the previous season. But by the end of the game they had Windsor on the rack and came desperately close to winning the match after scoring 12 unanswered second half points. They crossed the line for what might have been in winning try in final play, but the scoring pass was rightly adjudged to be a forward one.
The afternoon began in solemn fashion with the crowd standing in silence to remember former Abbey members Tracey Rolfe and Graham Alexander, both of whose deaths were announced during the week. The game started with Windsor very quickly going on the attack. Abbey outside half Reuben Norville twice had to relieve the pressure with long kicks, and within the first five minutes the home side suffered two blows. Prop Adam Postlethwaite was forced to leave the field with a cut head, with Zac Mayo replacing him, while second row Chris Shaw, who was celebrating his 150th appearance, was shown a yellow card for an offence close to his own line. Shortly afterwards, Windsor centre Adam Bailes stormed through a gap to score the opening try, with outside half Ben Grant-Adamson adding a straightforward conversion.
Abbey battled well for the next ten minutes, with centre Brendan Clarke putting in some good tackles and forwards James Becalick and Tom Wilkinson handling well. Unfortunately, the home lineout did not really click during the first half, and the first lineout saw the ball overthrown. Abbey managed to keep possession at the opening scrum, but the pack was under pressure even when Shaw returned from the sin bin. Co-captain Sol Wallis-Robinson did well to take the ball when it was tapped back untidily from a lineout, but Abbey conceded a penalty and Windsor kicked to the corner. The visitors’ pack was always in control of the lineout drive, and hooker Josh Turley plunged over for the second try, Grant-Adamson again converting.
A good kick by Norville sent play into the Windsor 22, and for the first time in the game Abbey looked confident in attack. Flanker
Max Crighton made a good drive and he was well supported by Wilkinson. Shaw, Clarke and winger Alex Ashford all handled, and after Crighton was once again involved, Norville spotted a gap on the right and ran in to score a try in the corner. The touchline conversion was too far out for full back Zeb Khan. Unfortunately for Abbey, Windsor responded almost immediately with skipper Allen Crawshaw charging through to score after the visitors had won a lineout in the home 22. Once more Grant-Adamson converted, and nobody at this stage could have dreamed that this would be the end of the Windsor scoring.
Soon afterwards, Windsor looked to be on their way to the line again, but Clarke’s tackle just managed to force Grant-Adamson out of play. Co-captain ‘Treacle’ Knights won Abbey’s first clean lineout ball of the afternoon, but Abbey were further hampered when winger Tom Martin was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on. No.8 Matt Eldridge did well to retain possession when the next Abbey scrum was wheeled, and Ashford, Clarke and Shaw made ground before possession was lost. Becalick brought off a brilliant tackle on flanker Will Moss, who always looked a threat to Abbey, and after this a weaving run from Ashford took Abbey into the opposition half. Martin returned from the sin bin, and Abbey survived the rest of the first half without conceding any more points, leaving Windsor 21-5 ahead at the break.
Abbey began the second half confidently, with Wilkinson, Clarke and prop Dan John making ground after Wallis-Robinson had taken a quick tap penalty. Jack Peachy replaced Becalick in the back row, and Postlethwaite returned in place of Crighton soon afterwards. Eldridge forced Windsor prop Rhys Mynott to knock on in the tackle, and centre George Goodenough and Peachy combined to send Clarke on a 30-metre run. Soon afterwards Abbey were awarded a penalty in the visitors’ 22, and with confidence in their set-piece renewed they opted to take a scrum. Wallis-Robinson moved the ball to the right, and Clarke chose a brilliant line to burst through and charge in for an excellent try close to the posts. Khan converted to narrow Windsor’s lead to nine points.
Incredibly, Clarke scored again almost immediately. Knights won the restart kick, and after a fantastic 40-metre run from Peachey the ball was kicked along the left touchline. Several players from each side gave chase, but Clarke reached the ball first, although he was injured as he scored and had to go off, with Jack Ellison replacing
him. Khan again missed with a difficult conversion attempt, and Windsor replied strongly with a series of drives in the Abbey 22. This eventually resulted in John and Knights holding up a Windsor forward over the line. Abbey then broke away from danger, with Ashford running up to the halfway line.
A rare collector’s item followed, with Windsor scrum half Godwill Dzama being penalised for a crooked feed at a scrum. Shaw and Postlethwaite made progress from the resulting free kick, and this really began a lengthy period of Abbey pressure. Peachey made ten metres to take play into the Windsor 22, after which the visitors were twice penalised. Various players, including Mayo, Shaw and Eldridge got close to the line, and Peachey appeared to have crossed following a scrum, but he was stopped just short. Windsor’s Ollie Malcolm was shown a yellow card and there were a couple of fairly long breaks as players from both sides received attention for knocks. Crighton came on again in place of Becalick, and Abbey twice had the chance to drive for the line from five-metre scrums after they were awarded penalties. Sadly, on both occasions they lost the ball on their own put-in and a great opportunity was lost.
Still Abbey attacked as the play went deep into injury time. Windsor were penalised frequently, and although Malcolm returned from the bin, they were soon a player short once again when second row Gareth Gibson was carded. By this time Clarke had returned to the field in place of Ashford, and Abbey ran a final penalty in the hope of crossing the line. Norville span the ball to the right and eventually Martin touched down, but the pass to him was forward. The final whistle saw Windsor’s relieved players celebrating at the end of a half which had lasted 62 minutes in real time.
This was a hugely encouraging performance from Abbey, proving at the first time of asking that they will not look out of place at this level. They really should have scored from the numerous scrums and penalties they were awarded in the dying stages, but Windsor defended well and turned the tables at two crucial scrums. Abbey’s first half was marred by some sloppy handling and a misfiring lineout, but they were the better side after the break and a losing bonus point was the least they deserved from the afternoon. Norville directed play with his customary assurance, Knights led his forwards well, Peachey made a huge difference in the second half, and Shaw looked as impressive as ever on his milestone
appearance. As for Brendan Clarke, Abbey have acquired a real treasure in the centre – a player capable of breaking the line and causing continuous problems for opposition defenders. There is room for improvement, but the team is moving in the right direction and victories are sure to follow.
Abbey: Z Khan, A Ashford (B Clarke 93), B Clarke (J Ellison 62), G Goodenough, T Martin, R Norville, S Wallis-Robinson (co-captain), D John (J Becalick 68), T Wilkinson, A Postlethwaite (Z Mayo 4), J Knight (co-captain), C Shaw, J Becalick (J Peachey 46, M Crighton 84), M Crighton (A Postlethwaite 50), M Eldridge.
Windsor: D Ancell, M Chapman, L Budd, A Bailes (A Snooks 23) , A Good, B Grant-Adamson, G Dzama, R Mynott, J Turley (C Ball 80), M Warren (R Jackson 57), C Redpath (M Warren 97), G Gibson, C Ball (O Malcom 57), W Moss, A Crawshaw (captain)
Abbey:
Tries: Clarke (2), Norville
Con: Khan
Windsor:
Tries: Bailes, Turley, Crawshaw
Con: Grant-Adamson (3)
Yellow cards:
Abbey: Shaw, Martin
Windsor: Malcolm, Gibson
Referee: J Taylor (Buckinghamshire)
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