Sat 21 Sep 2024, 14:00
Reading Abbey 50 High Wycombe 26
Mark Hoskins
Abbey effectively had to defeat High Wycombe twice during their Counties 1 Tribute Southern North clash in the Rosehill sunshine. They scored their bonus point try early in the second half, and at 26-5 an easy home win looked to be a formality. But the visitors struck back with three converted tries in quick succession to tie the score before Abbey pressed the accelerator button and crossed for four late tries to seal their first win of the season. Winger Brendan Clarke was their hero with a spectacular hat trick of tries.
The freshly-mown Rosehill pitch looked in superb condition as Abbey ran out in their change strip of light blue. The home side won the opening lineout through co-captain ‘Treacle’ Knights, who last week made his 150th first team appearance. Outside half Reuben Norville quickly got the backs in action, with centre Callum House and full back Sam Andrews both involved before winger Alex Ashford made ground with a characteristic jinking run. But High Wycombe soon looked threatening, and it took a good tackle by Clarke to stop centre Andrea Costa close to the line. The visitors attacked again, with winger Jab Zulu making 40 metres, but when they were awarded a penalty they over-hit the touch kick and Abbey cleared from their 22. However, High Wycombe were rewarded after 12 minutes when second row Michael Fradgley ran through a gap to score to the right of the posts. Outside half Matthew Wardle failed to convert.
Prop Ollie Charlton made ground after the restart kick and No.8 Jack Peachey ran 20 metres into the High Wycombe 22. Abbey looked steady in the early scrums, but they suffered a blow after 16 minutes when Peachey had to leave the field with an Achilles injury. James Becalick replaced him and Matt Eldridge moved to No.8. Abbey looked increasingly confident, with second row Chris Shaw pinching a lineout and centre George Goodenough doing well to protect possession by diving on a loose ball. Co-captain Sol Wallis-Robinson started a move in the visitors’ 22, and after Shaw and Ashford had handled, Goodenough was held just short of the line. But the ball was recycled to hooker Zac Mayo, who bashed his way through to the line in the left corner. Wallis-Robinson could not convert, so the score was level after 20 minutes.
High Wycombe helped Abbey’s cause enormously after this, with flanker Zac Pregnall and No.8 Ollie Knightley being shown yellow cards in quick succession. To their credit the visitors kept attacking, and Wardle was wide with a long-range penalty. Abbey took a while to make their two-man advantage tell, but they eventually took the lead on the half hour mark. They won the ball against a seven-man High Wycombe scrum, and Norville moved to the vacant blindside and sent a chip to the right corner where Wallis-Robinson timed his run to perfection to catch and touch down. This time he landed a brilliant touchline conversion. The visitors were soon back up to full strength, but a good attack from Ashford and Norville resulted in Clarke’s first run of the afternoon. The big winger was tackled into touch after a 30-metre burst. Andrews caught a high kick and broke clear to launch Abbey’s next attack, and when High Wycombe counterattacked Mayo did brilliantly to force an error with a massive tackle. Norville, Ashford and Andrews moved the ball to the left, and away went Clarke on a terrific 40-metre run. He burst through three attempted tackles to score to the left of the posts and Wallis-Robinson converted to make it 19-5. This was the half time score.
Tom Wilkinson replaced prop Dan John at the start of the second half and Abbey began in storming fashion with Becalick, Shaw and Mayo handling before Charlton made a good 10-metre carry. Four minutes into the half Eldridge fed Ashford, and the winger sped 30 metres up the right wing before cutting inside two would-be defenders to touch down under the posts for the bonus point try. Wallis-Robinson’s conversion took the score to 26-5, and Abbey seemed to be comfortably in charge. However, High Wycombe had other ideas.
James Shuck, the visitors’ full back, always looked dangerous with ball in hand, and he set up his side’s first try of the half. House did well to stop him close to the line, but Wardle was on hand to cross under the posts without a hand being laid on him. He added the extras, and soon after this Abbey lost Shaw, with John coming back on and Wilkinson moving to the back row. Two minutes later Wardle scored under the posts again, and his conversion took High Wycombe to within seven points of Abbey. Shuck again looked dangerous with a run to the right corner, and when the ball was recycled replacement forward Joe Walton went in under the sticks. There was an off the ball incident straight after this which resulted
in Wardle receiving a yellow card, so replacement scrum half Joe Openshaw landed the conversion which levelled the score.
How would Abbey react? Fortunately, they upped a gear or two almost at once with Eldridge, Goodenough and flanker Max Crighton making ground before Wilkinson took play into the 22. Abbey were awarded a five metre scrum, and with High Wycombe temporarily down to 13 men with a prop receiving attention the pack drove to the line. Wilkinson controlled the ball superbly at the back of the scrum, and Wallis-Robinson touched down for the all-important try to restore Abbey’s lead. His conversion attempt drifted just wide.
The rest of the game featured a feast of spectacular rugby, with Clarke dominating proceedings. Wardle returned from the bin, but straight afterwards Norville fed Clarke 60 metres from the line. He broke to the left, outpaced several defenders and rounded Shuck before running in close to the posts for a magnificent try. This time Wallis-Robinson converted to give Abbey a 12 point lead. At this stage Leo Clifford came on in place of Goodenough.
Clifford was soon involved, setting up the next try after catching a high kick and driving his way upfield. Clarke and Ashford took the ball into the 22, Wilkinson and Becalick got close to the line in the right corner, and when the ball was moved back to the left Clarke strode through for his hat trick try with Wallis-Robinson converting in front of the posts. Even better was to follow. Becalick was off the field with an injury, but Abbey attacked from their own 22. Clifford ran 30-metres to the visitors’ 22 and smart hands from Ashford and Clarke led to Andrews breaking clear on the right to cross for a memorable team try. Wallis-Robinson’s missed touchline conversion attempt was the final action of the game.
This was a thoroughly entertaining game, and Abbey deserved their first league win of the season. They paid the price for taking their collective feet off the gas early in the second half, and full credit goes to High Wycombe for fighting back so well. But Abbey in full cry were unstoppable, and the final quarter saw them at their best. Clarke was quite magnificent, with Andrews again looking impressive at full back. The lineout improved after some over-ambitious calls near the start and the pack looked solid at the scrums. The team will hope to build on this success when they travel to Grove next weekend.
Abbey: S Andrews, A Ashford, C House, G Goodenough (L Clifford 75), B Clarke, R Norville, S Wallis-Robinson (co-captain), D John (T Wilkinson 40), Z Mayo, O Charlton, J Knights (co-captain), C Shaw (D John 52), M Eldridge, M Crighton, J Peachey (J Becalick 16)
High Wycombe: J Shuck, A Placide, M Green (captain), A Costa, N Zulu, M Wardle, D Reineke (J Openshaw 54), S Tolhurst, T Boardman, C Woodley (D Reineke 70), M Fradgley, M Jacobs (J Walton 38), H Knightley (M Lovett 69), Z Pregnall, O Knightley
Abbey:
Tries: Clarke (3), Wallis-Robinson (2), Mayo, Ashford, Andrews
Con: Wallis-Robinson (5)
High Wycombe:
Tries: Wardle (2), Fradgley, Walton
Con: Wardle (2), Openshaw
Yellow cards: Pregnall, O Knightley, Wardle
Referee: D Shotton (Oxfordshire)
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