Sat 6 Sep 2025
by Mark Hoskins
Abbey needed a try in last play from hooker Zac Mayo to defeat Bletchley in their opening Counties Tribute Ale 1 Southern North fixture. The visitors had led 34-5 early in the second half of a topsy-turvy encounter before the home side shook them with a stupendous fightback. Abbey scored seven tries in all to their opponents six on a thrilling afternoon of rugby to claim a first league victory at the Manor Field since 2008.
The game kicked off in sunshine but with a tricky wind blowing. Bletchley knocked on at once and Abbey attacked brightly from the scrum, with outside half Reuben Norville quickly giving full back Max Boucher the chance to show his paces. He was stopped five metres from the line, and soon after this centre Callum House was tackled into touch. Abbey continued to dominate possession, with both prop Adam Postlethwaite and centre George Goodenough making ground, but when the ball was lost Bletchley counterattacked. They quickly made it to the visitors’ 22, and further driving from their pack saw flanker Jordan Murray stopped on the line where a penalty was conceded. Abbey cleared to touch and second row ‘Treacle’ Knights won good lineout ball. Norville broke and kicked the ball the length of the field. It crossed the line, but it was adjudged to have gone dead just before Norville could reach it. But soon afterwards Boucher broke to the left, and skipper Sol Wallis-Robinson fed Brendan Clarke some 30 metres from the line. The winger burst clear in typical fashion to open the scoring, with Wallis-Robinson’s conversion attempt bouncing wide off the crossbar.
Two minutes later House caught an attempted kick ahead inside his own 22 and passed to Clarke, who defied all attempts to stop him over 60 metres on another barnstorming run to the left corner. Once again Wallis-Robinson could not convert, but Abbey were looking full of confidence at this stage. They were confident enough to shun an easy three points from a penalty given in front of the posts just four minutes later, opting instead for a scrum. The gamble paid off as Wallis-Robinson broke to the right and Boucher just had sufficient pace to plonk the ball over the line as he was tackled. Again Wallis-Robinson could not add the extras.
Abbey’s scrum was providing a solid foundation, and the team continued to play bright, 15-man rugby. Second row James Becalick, No.8 Matt Eldridge and prop Dan John were all involved as they pressed again inside the home 22. However, Bletchley broke upfield and put pressure on the Abbey line. As had occurred earlier, they were stopped on the line, with House making the crucial tackle and winning a penalty. However, Abbey could not find touch and Bletchley attacked again. A good tackle from Becalick forced a knock-on, and Boucher snapped up the loose ball 70 metres from the opposition line. He accelerated away and nobody was able to prevent him from touching down under the posts after a spectacular run. Wallis-Robinson’s simple conversion took Abbey to a 22-0 lead after half an hour with a bonus point in the bag.
Flanker Ryan Williams was twice involved in a smart bout of handling which took Abbey once again into the home 22. Norville, Mayo, Goodenough and flanker Blake Callaghan all probed for openings, and at last Wallis-Robinson dummied his way clear. His dodging, dummying run took him up to the line, and when he was tackled John was up in support to score perhaps the best try of the half. The skipper’s conversion took the score to 29-0. Bletchley had been experiencing some injury problems in the first half, and now Abbey suffered as well, with John limping out of the action soon after scoring. Tom Wilkinson replaced him. Not long after this Bletchley got their only points of the half when hooker Josh Sprules was driven over the line from a 5-metre lineout. Outside half Cameron Watkins could not convert, and there was just time for winger Leo Clifford to launch one more attack for Abbey before an action-packed half ended with Abbey looking very much in the driving seat with a 29-5 lead.
Bletchley coach Stuart Tomkinson used his half time talk to urge his players to keep the ball tight in the second half and to kick for the corners. He insisted that the game was not yet lost, and how right he proved! Tom Martin replaced Goodenough for Abbey at half time, coming on at full back with Boucher moving to the centre. Abbey began the second half in style, taking a scrum against the head. They won a penalty soon afterwards, and after Wallis-Robinson kicked for the corner Knightsagain won good ball at the lineout. Boucher, Clarke and Norville all ran well and Wilkinson almost broke clear. Possession was retained and Boucher’s quick switch of play to the right allowed Clifford to sprint clear to score in the right corner. Wallis-Robinson could not convert, but Abbey now led 34-5 after 45 minutes.
It was now that the home fightback began. Abbey could not hold on to their own lineout ball inside their 22, and flanker Finn Hague burst clear to score Bletchley’s second try, with Watkins converting. Soon afterwards, a long kick from Norville into the home 22 was fielded wide on the left by Bletchley scrum half Jack Sharp. He chanced his arm with a break to the left and ran up the touchline before giving a scoring pass to full back Elliott Hales. Watkins missed the conversion, but it was now 34-17 after 53 minutes.
Abbey played the next few minutes in the opposition half, with Norville, Wilkinson and Eldridge heavily involved. Clarke attempted to break clear up the left touchline, but he was tackled into touch. After this Bletchley attacked, and Abbey conceded a series of penalties in their own 22. A wave of attacks was initially stopped by some good defence, but eventually the ball was moved to the right and Watkins dived over in the corner to give Bletchley a bonus point. His brilliant touchline conversion reduced Abbey’s lead to ten points with 15 minutes remaining. Callaghan was forced off with an injury at this point, with Ruben Wallis-Robinson taking his place in the back row.
With 12 minutes left Watkins sent a kick towards the line where Martin was unable to control the bouncing ball. Following up his own kick, Watkins hacked the ball on and just won the race to touch down for his side’s fifth try. He could not convert, but with the deficit down to five points it was very much game on. Abbey looked in pieces at this stage, defending frantically and conceding several penalties. It was honestly no great surprise when, with five minutes remaining, Bletchley captain Hugo Govett charged clear to score to the left of the posts. A successful conversion from Watkins would have sealed the fightback by giving Bletchley the lead for the first time, but his kick drifted just wide.
Talk on the touchline at this point suggested that most spectators would now have settled for a draw, but Bletchley’s hopes must have risen when Wallis-Robinson’s restart kick failed to travel 10 metres. Play was soon in the Abbey half again, but they stole the ball and Martin made an important break. Further good work from Norville and Wilkinson took Abbey well away from danger and they ended up being awarded a scrum 10 metres from the home line wide on the right. The ball was won and after a bout of passing House was held on the line. Referee Charlotte Williams spotted a Bletchley high tackle, and Abbey had one final play in which to restore their lead. They took a tap penalty, and Mayo stormed over for a dramatic winning try to the obvious delight of both his team mates and small group of Abbey supporters on the touchline. To add to Abbey’s joy, Wallis-Robinson converted from the touchline, and they had sealed a victory which minutes earlier looked to have slipped from their grasp.
What a game! Abbey were certainly helped by some sloppy home play in the first half, but they took their chances well and were always looking to attack. Boucher, Norville, Clarke and Wallis-Robinson were always a threat to the home defence, and the front five provided a secure base from which to operate. Full credit must go to Bletchley for their amazing fightback, but Abbey defended bravely when it mattered, despite conceding five second half tries. To get back up to the correct end of the field at the crucial time showed tremendous resolve and self-belief, and every member of the squad will take huge encouragement from this victory. A tough task at home to Henley 2nds awaits next Saturday, but Abbey have begun the season in the best way possible by winning at a venue which has been a bogey ground for some time.
Abbey: M Boucher, L Clifford, C House, G Goodenough (T Martin 40), B Clarke, R Norville, S Wallis-Robinson (captain), D John (T Wilkinson 38), Z Mayo, A Postlethwaite, J Knights, J Becalick, R Williams, B Callaghan (R Wallis-Robinson 65), M Eldridge
Bletchley: E Hales (S Young 26-40), A Easton, T Ewing, J Allen, O Comery, C Watkins, J Sharp, A Fitzgerald, J Sprules, L Cooper (J Rice 16, E Findlay 38, J Price 40), S Brown, K Fagan, J Murray (E Findlay 45) , F Hague, H Govett (captain)
Abbey:
Tries: Clarke (2), Boucher (2), John, Clifford, Mayo
Con: Wallis-Robinson (3)
Bletchley:
Tries: Watkins (2), Sprules, Hague, Hales, Govett
Con: Watkins (2)
Referee: Charlotte Williams (Bucks)
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