Sat 7 Dec 2024
Buckingham 39 Reading Abbey 21
Mark Hoskins
Abbey produced a battling performance in increasingly atrocious conditions at Buckingham, eventually going down to a gallant defeat in their Counties 1 Tribute Southern North encounter. The visitors scored three excellent second half tries against the wind and were unfortunate not to register a bonus point. Howver, Buckingham were the stronger side on the day, with their full back William Gurney proving a handful for the Abbey defence. The result means that Abbey remain in seventh place in the league.
Abbey had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half, and they were soon inside the home 22. Centre Callum House, who was making his 60th first team appearance, made an important tackle on William Gurney as Buckingham tried to attack from deep, and after winning the first scrum of the game the visitors attacked up the left side of the pitch. Outside half Reuben Norville and winger Alex Ashford both handled before Brendan Clarke, Abbey’s other wing, made 20 metres. He was tackled into touch, but Abbey stole the lineout throw and hooker Zac Mayo made the first of the numerous bursts which marked him out as perhaps his team’s outstanding player on the day. Scrum half Callum Willingale, fullback Tom Martin and second row Chris Shaw all made ground before Buckingham were penalised close to their posts. Norville made the wise decision to go for goal with the wind behind him, and Abbey had an early lead.
Buckingham looked dangerous from the restart, with Clarke pulling of a good tackle to stop his opposite number James Simmonds. Norville made a good break, receiving support from prop Dan John, and Abbey’s cause was helped when Buckingham flanker William Bursnall was shown a yellow card. Norville went for the posts again from the ensuing penalty, and again his kick was successful. But Buckingham were soon on the scoreboard after this, with centre Maffu Glendenning crossing wide on the left for a try. Skipper Tom Gurney looked to have conquered the elements with his conversion attempt, but the wind held the ball up just as it seemed to be crossing the bar.
Abbey were awarded another penalty, but after Norville made a good 30 metres with his kick, the lineout was lost when the ball was overthrown. Fortunately, Abbey gained another penalty, and
skipper ‘Treacle’ Knights made good ground with support from No.8 Matt Eldridge. This was followed by a mighty Abbey surge from a lineout, but they could not cross the line. The sin bin period ended with no further scoring on either side, and after this flanker Alex Langton caught an Abbey lineout throw and Norville kicked into the home 22. William Gurney caught the ball and set off on a dazzling run, making 50 metres before he was stopped. Langton again won the ball at the rear of a lineout and Norville produced a brilliant kick which was almost a 50/22. At this point Shaw had to leave the field with an injury, with Alfie Seymour replacing him. Buckingham enjoyed a good deal of territorial advantage after this, and with five minutes left of the half they took the lead when second row Niall London crossed from close to the line. Again, the elements foiled Tom Gurney’s conversion attempt. Further Buckingham pressure followed, and despite some brave defence Abbey were opened up from a tap penalty, with second row Jamie Temple claiming the try, which was again unconverted. Mayo was injured at this point, with Shaw returning in his place, while limping centre George Goodenough was replaced by Leo Clifford. The half ended with Buckingham leading 15-6.
The wind increased considerably after half time, and this was clearly to Buckingham’s advantage. They got their bonus point try soon after the restart, with No.8 Jack Wildman throwing a dummy and running a great line to score to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed, and Abbey’s cause was boosted soon afterwards when Mayo returned to the field, with hardworking flanker Ryan Williams coming off. Shaw won good lineout ball for Abbey, and Willingale passed to Norville, who was on his own 10-metre line. Nothing appeared on, but he spotted a gap and set off on a stunning break which ended with him crossing the line to the left of the posts for a magnificent try. Sadly, he was unable to convert his own try into the teeth of the wind, but Abbey were back in the game at 20-11.
Back came Buckingham with a wave of attacks, and Clarke did well to hold up flanker Jamie Lee as he crossed the line. But nobody could stop Glendenning, who sidestepped his way through the defence to score his side’s fifth try after 55 minutes. This time, to much cheering, Tom Gurney landed a successful conversion. Martin was injured at this point, and as Abbey only had two replacements, Williams returned in his place. Soon after this Buckingham received another yellow card, with outside half Max Cubitt departing for dissent. Mayo tapped the resulting penalty, and
after Knights and Norville had handled, Clarke made a characteristically strong burst up the left wing. He made 60 metres and looked to have reached the line, but William Gurney stopped him two metres short. However, the ball was recycled and Ashford was up in support to cross for a try which Norville could not convert.
After this, Abbey enjoyed something of a purple patch, with Knights, Ashford and, inevitably, Mayo all producing great runs. With Abbey camped in the home 22, prop Adam Postlethwaite, Langton and House all got close to the line, and after Knights had stolen a lineout throw there were good bursts from Clarke and Langton. Sadly, none of this play led to an Abbey score, and after they escaped from their own 22 Buckingham began to look dangerous again. They put pressure on the Abbey scrum, and William Gurney crossed for a well-deserved try. Tom Gurney had been replaced at this point, so the full back attempted his own conversion, with no success. 32-16 soon became 39-16 when William Gurney crossed again. Tom Gurney was back on the field by now, and his conversion was a good one.
To their great credit Abbey continued to be competitive in rapidly deteriorating conditions, and Ashford set up a good position with a 30-metre run. Mayo, Eldridge and Postlethwaite all made ground, before Mayo received the ball gain and plunged over on the right for a try which he certainly deserved after such a strong performance. Norville’s drop-kicked conversion attempt went wide, and the final whistle was greeted with relief by players and spectators alike.
In retrospect, Abbey should have made more of their advantage in the first half, when the wind and the slope were in their favour. Bizarrely, they improved later in the game when everything was against them, scoring all their tries during this period. It was a shame they could not conjure a bonus point try as a reward for their efforts. This was a performance of great pride, with props Postlethwaite and John playing the entire match and Clarke and Ashford making the most of the ball that came their way. Norville’s try was a gem, and Mayo was an absolute star in the conditions. There was no questioning the team’s effort on a difficult afternoon.
Abbey: T Martin (R Williams 56), A Ashford, C House, G Goodenough (L Clifford 38), B Clarke, R Norville, C Willingale, A Postlethwaite, Z Mayo (C Shaw 39), D John, J Knights (captain), C
Shaw (A Seymour 31), R Williams (Z Mayo 50), A Langton, M Eldridge
Buckingham: W Gurney, J Simmonds (T Gurney 76), M Glendenning, M Hawker, L Finn, M Cubitt, T Gurney (captain, R Speakman 72), H Fellingham (M Lester 40), S Williams, A Mitchell (H Fellingham 70), J Temple (C Tredwell 48), N London, J Lee, W Bursnall, J Wildman
Abbey:
Tries: Norville, Ashford, Mayo
Pen: Norville (2)
Buckingham: Tries: Glendenning (2), W Gurney (2), London, Temple, Wildman
Con: T Gurney (2)
Yellow cards: Buckingham: Bursnall, Cubitt
Referee: P Costello (Oxfordshire)
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