Sat 14 Sep 2019, 15:00
High Wycombe 30 Reading Abbey 17
Mark Hoskins
Abbey opened their season with a defeat in a rather lacklustre game in the High Wycombe sunshine. The visitors scrummaged well, but they suffered badly on the injury front, losing a number of key players during the game. Despite these setbacks, they battled to the end and were unlucky not to get a losing bonus point.
Abbey’s forwards got a good shove at the opening scrum of the game, but an early penalty was conceded. Fortunately for the visitors, High Wycombe outside half Matt Wardle sent the relatively straightforward kick wide, though this was to prove his only miss of the afternoon. A good tackle by outside half John Malivoire on veteran No.8 Craig Murray gave Abbey their first decent possession, and winger Arron Ross ran 30 metres to get his team well inside home territory. Second row Toby Staker and prop Gerry Sutherland carried on the attack, but possession was then lost.
High Wycombe’s next attack was superbly halted by full back Conner Limbrick, who collected a grubber kick off his bootlaces. Prop Adam Postlethwaite made ground, and when he was stopped Abbey were awarded a penalty. Malivoire kicked for touch and Staker won the subsequent lineout, but a knock on halted Abbey’s progress. No.8 Mike Beckly did well to protect possession at the next scrum, and following a high kick from skipper Will Bevan Sutherland and second row Maurice O’Connell handled well before another knock on terminated the attack. After this a great burst from impressive flanker Guilliam Slaven started a promising move, but Abbey gave away another penalty.
There had been no score and little memorable rugby by the end of the opening quarter, and as the second quarter began Sutherland was replaced by Ollie Charlton. Then the first serious injury occurred. Abbey had won possession following a scrum 30 metres from their own line, but as he turned to pass the ball Bevan injured his foot and was helped off in great pain. On in his place came Sol Wallis-Robinson, normally an outside half, who proceeded to have a cool and efficient debut in an unaccustomed position. A few minutes after the change came the first score of the game. High Wycombe had been attacking inside the Abbey 22, and when the ball was kicked over the line flanker Joff Forber was obstructed as he chased it. Referee Emer O’Kelly had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try to give the home side a 7-0 lead.
Abbey tried to seize the initiative following the restart kick, with Limbrick, Malivoire and Ross linking well. Winger Matt Ellis carried on the move, and O’Connell’s clever long pass released hooker Jack Brown. Then a good long kick from Malivoire forced High Wycombe to take the ball out of play in their 22. Abbey lost the subsequent lineout, but they soon regained the ball and Charlton and centre Charlie Shackleford made ground before a penalty was conceded. Wardle then pegged Abbey back in their own half with an excellent kick, but good work from flanker Ed House saw Abbey win possession again. O’Connell, Shackleford and Brown made ground, and Abbey’s scrum looked increasingly solid as half time approached.
Beckly and Shackleford took play into the home half once more, but Abbey suffered a further blow when Staker departed with an injury, Sutherland returning in his place. Abbey’s pack was well on top at this stage, and a dodging run from Malivoire earned his side a penalty close to the home posts. In a confident move, Beckly, who was leading the side in Bevan’s absence, called for a scrum, and after the forwards had established a solid base Shackleford burst to the left. He was stopped just short of the line, but the forwards piled in and Sutherland powered over for a try. Shackleford converted superbly, and the half time whistle sounded with honours even.
Abbey were about to replace Ed House with his brother George at the start of the second half, but it was noticed just in time that Limbrick was injured and off the field. Thus, both the brothers stayed on, with Ross moving to full back, the powerful Kieran Sweeny going to the wing and Beckly moving to centre. Malivoire’s second half kick-off was a brilliant one, bouncing into touch inside the home 22, and after High Wycombe failed to make progress from the lineout, Slaven, Ed House and Beckly featured in a good passing movement. But High Wycombe were soon on the attack again, and despite a good tackle by Sutherland on home skipper Tom Boardman, the home pack looked dangerous inside in the Abbey 22. The referee played advantage after an Abbey offence, but the penalty was not required because Wardle slotted over a neat drop goal to give his side the lead once again.
Abbey followed this setback with one of their best periods of the game. With play in the home 22, a brilliant shove at a scrum pushed High Wycombe back ten metres on their own put in, and it seemed a shame that all the forwards’ good work was undone when a penalty was conceded. The home side worked their way back up the field again, and when another penalty was conceded Wardle landed a straightforward kick to make the score 13-7.
Ross appeared to be taken out off the ball as he chased a High Wycombe kick inside his own half, but the offence wasn’t spotted. After this, just before the hour mark, further misfortune struck Abbey when O’Connell went down with a leg injury. At first it looked a very serious one and a stretcher was brought on, but he was able to stand and was helped off the field. Despite being injured earlier, Staker returned to the fray, and Abbey’s pack continued to look impressive. But High Wycombe surged further ahead when Murray plunged over for a try in the 62nd minute, Wardle adding a good conversion.
At this stage there was a risk that Abbey might capitulate, but they staged a brave recovery and looked the better side for the next ten minutes. Ross did well to catch a high ball, and Ed House and Brown both ran well. When Abbey were awarded a penalty on the half way line they played to their strength and opted once more for a scrum, but after Wallis-Robinson and Ross made ground the ball was lost. But Abbey were soon on the attack again, with Malivoire, Staker, Shackleford and George House all handling as play got closer and closer to the home line. High Wycombe were penalised and then marched back ten metres, giving Abbey the option of a five metre scrum. Possession was comfortably won, Wallis-Robinson broke to the right, and Slaven charged over for a well-deserved try. Another excellent kick from Shackleford cut the deficit to six points, and with around ten minutes remaining it was game on.
Unfortunately for Abbey, their hopes snatching the lead were short-lived. They were unable to clear their lines as High Wycombe sought to close the game out in the visitors’ 22, and when another penalty was conceded Wardle again found the target. At 23-14 Abbey went in search of at least a losing bonus point, and they seemed to have got what they deserved as the game entered injury time when Shackleford held his nerve to land a penalty from wide on the right. But in the final play of the match, Forber latched onto a loose Abbey clearance and set off on a brilliant 25 metre run to the line for what was easily the try of the match. Wardle’s conversion ended the game, and Abbey were left with nothing to show for their efforts.
This was not an especially memorable encounter, and despite the excellent conditions there was precious little cohesive back play on either side. High Wycombe took their chances well and benefited from the number of penalties Abbey conceded. They deserved their victory, but the winning margin flattered them somewhat. Abbey for their part battled well and were most unfortunate with injuries. The most pleasing aspect was the scrum, and Abbey’s forwards will hope to build on their superiority in this department in future weeks. Beckly, Ed House, Sutherland and Slaven all had good games, with Slaven perhaps the stand-out player, while Shackleford’s accurate goal kicking was another plus. Malivoire had his moments at outside half and Wallis-Robinson was calm and did the basics well. It will be interesting to see how the team fares against Marlow at Rosehill next Saturday, and the players should not be downhearted after this brave effort.
Abbey: C Limbrick (G House 40), A Ross, C Shackleford, K Sweeny, M Ellis, J Malivoire, W Bevan (captain, S Wallis-Robinson 24), G Sutherland (O Charlton 21), J Brown, A Postlethwaite, T Staker (G Sutherland 37), M O’Connell (T Staker 60), G Slaven, E House, M Beckly
High Wycombe: O Lewis, A Farthing (S Zulu 40), T Catchpole (A Farthing 84), H Tanner, G Butters, M Wardle, T Lane, H Wyse, T Boardman (captain), R Main (J Holloman 62), M Fradgely, L Dudley (J Vowles 54) , A Chiton, J Forber, C Murray
Abbey:
Tries: Sutherland, Slaven
Con: Shackleford (2)
Pen: Shackleford
High Wycombe:
Tries: Murray, Forber, Penalty try
Con: Wardle (2)
Pen: Wardle (2)
DG: Wardle
Referee: E O’Kelly (Buckinghamshire)
