Sat 29 Jan 2022, 14:30
Reading Abbey 20 Shipston-on-Stour 8
Mark Hoskins
Abbey overcame the first half loss of two key forwards to record a well-deserved first ever victory over Shipston. The visitors led by a point at half time, but Abbey controlled the second 40 minutes superbly and conceded nothing after the break. Hooker turned flanker Jake Leach was outstanding in a brilliant team effort, while winger Ollie Evans enjoyed another faultless afternoon from the kicking tee, landing ten priceless points for his side.
Shipston had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half, but after Abbey conceded an early penalty, the visitors lost the first lineout of the game when prop Adam Postlethwaite stole the ball. Second row Sam Hallett made the first of several powerful breaks, but possession was lost. Abbey looked solid at the opening scrum of the game and after Shipston were penalised, Evans kicked for position. Flanker Max Nugent won the ensuing lineout, and a good driving maul developed. Centre Charlie Shackleford, prop Ollie Charlton and skipper ‘Treacle’ Knights were all involved as Abbey drove into the visitors’ 22, but after Leach made further progress, a penalty was conceded.
A brilliant tackle by hooker Lewis Jones sent the ball-carrier reeling backwards when Shipston mounted their first attack, and Nugent again won good ball for Abbey at the next lineout. Jones then made a strong burst, but the ball went out of play. Hallett stole the next Shipston lineout throw, and No.8 Scott Holland and outside half Sol Wallis-Robinson started an attack which saw centre Callum House make 15 metres. But possession was lost again, and after Shipston counterattacked the visitors won a penalty. Skipper Rob James landed a good goal from 38 metres to give his side the lead after 13 minutes.
Full back Max Boucher tapped the ball back to win the restart for Abbey, and the home side gained valuable ground with Jones, Leach, Hallett and Nugent all involved. Postlethwaite broke into the Shipston 22, and Jones and Leach handled again before Abbey conceded a penalty. Shipston kicked towards the left and their full back, Henry Hopkins, made a dangerous break. Fortunately for Abbey, his pass to winger Matt Daniells was knocked on, but soon after this, Shipston were awarded a further penalty. James went for goal again, but his kick from 30 metres drifted wide to the right. However, two minutes later a good Shipston drive resulted in scrum half George Cowper diving over for the first try of the game. The try was to the right of the posts, and it was unconverted, as James saw his kick go wide to the left.
Abbey won the next scrum of the match comfortably, and Holland started a good handling movement involving Leach, Jones, Hallett and Nugent. Knights, Evans, Charlton and scrum half Will Bevan took play close to the Shipston 22, and Shackleford broke through the middle. Abbey won a penalty, but they suffered a blow at this point as Jones departed with an injury. Mark Toland, who nearly had to give up his place on the bench due to a facial cut, came on in his place. Nugent won the ensuing lineout inside the visitors’ 22, and winger Christian Floyd broke well before Hallett took the ball almost up to the Shipston line. Possession was then lost and Shipston had a scrum, but they were penalised. The quick-thinking Bevan tapped the ball immediately, and he was over the line for a try almost before anyone had realised what was going on. Evans landed a magnificent conversion from the right touchline, and Abbey were a point behind after 31 minutes.
Unfortunately, at this point Hallett was forced to leave the action. He had already received attention several times, and it was clear that he was too badly injured to continue. Aaron Burke came on to play at flanker, with Nugent moving to the second row. Burke was soon involved in the action, putting in a good tackle on his opposite number Henry Oughton. Wallis-Robinson and Boucher made ground into the Shipston half, and Holland made another good break from a scrum. The half ended with Abbey in Shipston territory, but still trailing by 8-7.
Abbey looked very sharp as the game restarted, with Wallis-Robinson, Shackleford and Toland taking play to the opposition 22. Nugent and Boucher carried on the attack and Floyd crashed through the middle, but Burke couldn’t quite gather the ball when it was moved to the right. Shipston went on the attack after this, and after a series of phases they were awarded a penalty in the shadow of Abbey’s posts. The decision was made to scrummage, but Abbey made light of the loss of their two big men by sensationally winning the ball against the head. They won a penalty as well, and Evans relieved the pressure with a good touch kick.
Abbey now went on the attack again, and a superbly-controlled build-up resulted in a try. Leach, Holland and Bevan were all prominent in a series of drives, and after Abbey were given a penalty advantage Leach plunged over for a score under the posts, with Evans adding the straightforward conversion. A high kick from Bevan kept the pressure on Shipston after the restart, and good tackling by Floyd and Burke kept the visitors penned in their own half. Toland made ground with a break and received good support from Knights and House, but just before the hour mark Abbey suffered further disruption when Shackleford was injured. Ross Jaffray came on to play on the wing, with Floyd moving to the centre.
Abbey continued to attack, with both Knights and Nugent winning good lineout ball. Some excellent tackling saw Shipston concede possession, and after Abbey won a lineout in the Shipston 22, Evans and Boucher worked an opening for House. The visitors conceded a penalty, and the wise decision was taken to go for the posts. Evans took the kick from the left of the field on the 22-metre line, and he found the target to stretch Abbey’s lead. There was further Abbey attacking after this, with Nugent, House and Knights handling well, and after play had again reached the Shipston 22, visitors’ centre Tobi Faulkner was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock on.
Abbey now concentrated on winning good lineout ball neart he Shipston line, and Charlton, Jaffray and Postlethwaite all came close to breaking through. Knights then won a lineout seven metres from the line, and Leach was stopped just short. Shipston were penalised yet again, and this time, with the game already in injury time, Evans went for goal. This time the kick was to the right of the field, and he struck the ball beautifully to make the result safe for Abbey. Shipston rallied in the final two minutes and were inside the Abbey 22 at the end, but strong defence preserved the home side’s second half clean sheet.
This was an excellent team effort from Abbey and a richly-deserved success. They suffered injury disruption up front, but at no time was the pack overwhelmed. The scrum was solid and the lineout was always secure. Leach’s pinpoint throwing-in was a crucial factor, and he enjoyed a brilliant game in the loose while playing out of position. Nugent had an excellent afternoon, and full credit must go to props Postlethwaite and Charlton for playing the entire 80 minutes. Everyone in the squad contributed to a really impressive victory, and it was brilliant to see the players controlling the game so well. Abbey have now leapfrogged Shipston into sixth place in Tribute Southern Counties North, and they travel to table-topping Stow-on-the-Wold in a rearranged fixture next Saturday.
Abbey: M Boucher, C Floyd, C House, C Shackleford (R Jaffray 59), O Evans, S Wallis-Robinson, W Bevan, A Postlethwaite, L Jones (M Toland 28), O Charlton, J Knights (captain), S Hallett (A Burke 31), J Leach, M Nugent, S Holland
Shipston-on-Stour: H Hopkins, C Cummy, R James (captain), T Faulkner, M Daniells (H Jones 57), I Rowles, G Cowper, I Clayton, J Pither, B Summers (T Coldicott 57), G Minogue, T White (S Treadgold 40), H Oughton, G Wilcock, A Lane
Abbey:
Tries: Bevan, Leach
Con: Evans (2)
Pen: Evans (2)
Shipston:
Try: Cowper
Pen: James
Yellow card: Faulkner
Referee: C Rodwell (Hertfordshire)
