Sat 11 Jan 2020, 14:30
On a bitterly cold day at Rosehill, it was high-flying visitors Reading who got the better of Abbey by taking advantage of some slack defence at times, despite impressive performances by Connor Slaven and Mike Beckly, to secure their seventh win in a row.
Reading were on the front foot almost immediately with two early penalties, resulting in them scoring the first points of the day through the boot of their fullback, Alex Dorliac. Although Slaven led the defensive line well, a mis-match in defence allowed Dorliac to slice through moments later, converting his own try in the process to extend Reading’s lead to ten points.
Undeterred, Abbey responded well with good territorial kicking from the half-backs Will Bevan and Sol Robinson. Captain Bevan continued to urge his side back into control with sniping runs but Abbey’s errors allowed Reading a platform to attack from again. It was only a forward pass to winger Stuart Borthwick that saved Abbey from conceding a second try, yet moments later Grant Spears dummied and went in under the posts.
Errors were now creeping in from both sides, meaning most rugby was played in the middle of the pitch. Abbey centre Charlie Shackleford pulled back three points for the home side after a well-struck penalty kick but Reading won one back soon after, when Beckly was deemed to be holding on to the ball in a tackle. Although fiery back row Will Woodward was brought on for the injured Matt Simmons, Abbey were soon reduced to fourteen men when centre Christian Floyd saw yellow after repetitive indiscipline in their own 22.
It was Reading now who failed to capitalise on the man-advantage immediately and the resulting scrum was turned over by the Abbey pack and it was captain Bevan who box-kicked the ball away to safety. Desperate Abbey defence kept Reading at bay but it was winger Christopher Greig-Jenkins who scored in the corner on the stroke of half-time, as quick hands evaded Abbey’s stretched defensive line.
In the second half, Reading scored their final points early on with Borthwick flying over the line and Abbey enjoyed arguably their best rugby all game. Nice interlinking play between Woodward, George House and hooker Jake Leach saw Abbey make ground up the pitch and three successive penalties ensured Reading’s fly-half Alex Murray-Smith saw yellow. Abbey made sure their first forays into Reading’s 22 were not in vain and it was prop Lewis Jones who crashed over for Abbey’s only try of the game, picking a short line off Bevan. In a bizarre turn of events, the subsequent conversion was disallowed as the referee deemed it to have been taken wide of the mark set.
In a game fraught with errors from both sides, it was the visitors who took their chances when they were presented to them and deservedly secured the bonus-point win in challenging conditions. Abbey, who will see this result as very much a missed opportunity, will look to regroup in time for this weekend’s home fixture against Shipston on Stour.
Photo Credit: @rugbygrandad.
Will Woodward and Treacle Knights tackle Josh Pallett
