Reading Abbey RFC

Marlow 22 Reading Abbey 14 

Mark Hoskins 

Abbey paid dearly for an underpowered first half effort at Riverwoods Drive in the clash of the fifth and sixth-placed sides in Tribute Southern Counties North. The visitors trailed 15-0 at the break, and although they outscored their hosts in the second half, they were never in control for long enough to threaten a win. Abbey crossed for two excellent second half tries, both of which were scored when Marlow were reduced to 14 men.  

Marlow had the advantage of a fresh breeze in the first half, almost all of which was destined to take place in the Abbey half. Centre Charlie Shackleford sent the ball straight out of play with his kick-off, and Marlow looked strong at the first scrum on the halfway line. Flanker Max Nugent, who impressed throughout the afternoon with his tackling and ball-winning, did well to stop a run from home second row Seb Rivett, but Abbey conceded a penalty 38 metres out. Outside half Ben Selwyn went for the posts, but his kick sailed wide to the right. No.8 Ed Wisener did well to protect the ball as Marlow applied the pressure on Abbey’s first put-in to a scrum, and an excellent exit strategy was completed when scrum half Will Bevan sent the first of many effective high kicks away from the danger area. 

Marlow’s No.8 Koroninvuku Vereti always looked a threat with ball in hand, and his storming run took play close to the Abbey line. The visitors conceded a penalty, and this time Selwyn found the target with a simple kick to give Marlow the lead. The home side continued to press, using the wind well with diagonal kicks into the Abbey 22. Nugent won good lineout ball for Abbey, and Bevan again put in a great clearance kick, but Marlow soon increased their lead. Scrum half Jack Rider made a break down the centre of the field, and although full back Max Boucher did well to stop him short of the line, the ball was recycled to home skipper Hugo Jafari, who crossed to the right of the posts. Selwyn added the simple conversion.  

Two excellent tackles from centre Billy Parrish kept Marlow out as they attacked again, and after Abbey were awarded a scrum in their own 22 they attempted to run the ball out of trouble. Outside half Sol Wallis-Robinson and second row Sam Hallett made ground, but the ball was lost and Marlow attacked towards the right corner. It appeared that the ball might have been knocked forward as they were held on the Abbey line, but when Rider picked up and dived over the try was awarded. This time Selwyn could not add the extras.  

Marlow hooker Josh Richardson was the next home player to carve an opening in the Abbey defence, but flanker Mike Beckly did really well to pinch the ball. Then, at long last, after Abbey were awarded a penalty, Shackleford kicked the ball into the home half to give Abbey their best territorial position of the match so far. Nugent won good lineout possession again, but after Beckly drove through the middle Abbey conceded a penalty. Back in their own 22 again, hooker Jake Leach and prop Ollie Charlton handled well before Bevan again cleared to safety. But Abbey were soon under the cosh again, and Beckly did well to halt a run from Vereti. Marlow were awarded a penalty just to the left of the Abbey posts, and they elected to take a scrum.  Rivett charged for the line when the ball was recycled, but Wallis-Robinson and winger Christian Floyd kept him out. The pressure was still on Abbey, but great defence on their own line from Leach and Wisener gave Bevan the chance to kick clear.  

Soon after this, Boucher brought off a superb catch inside his own half from a high, bombing kick. Half time was now fast approaching, and suddenly Abbey had a spell of dominance. They were awarded a penalty on halfway, and Wallis-Robinson made a great break up the right touchline. He kicked ahead, and Rivett obstructed him as he chased the ball into the Marlow 22. This earned Rivett a yellow card, and Abbey chose to take a scrum. Three more penalties followed for Abbey, with a scrum taken on each occasion. Wisener, Beckly and winger Callum House all got within five metres of the home line, but Marlow defended well. The half time whistle sounded with Abbey 15-0 down.  

The second half started with Mark Toland and Gereie Sutherland on the field in place of Leach and Beckly. Sutherland was quickly in the action, making good ground along with Hallett after Nugent had won a lineout. This took play into the home 22, and after Hallett and Charlton moved the ball to the right, Floyd sprinted clear to cross the line. He ran infield to touch down under the posts, giving Shackleford an easy conversion. It was the perfect start to the second half for Abbey after just two minutes of play.  

Nugent stole the Marlow restart kick, but when Abbey were awarded a penalty Shackleford was over-ambitious with his touch kick and Marlow counterattacked. Sutherland put in a crunching tackle on Rider, but Abbey were penalised and Selwyn kicked for the corner. Rivett returned from the sin bin, and after Marlow had won the lineout Richardson was driven over the line for a try. Selwyn judged his conversion attempt very well against the wind and added the extra points.  

Abbey needed to score next to get back into the game, and they attacked from the restart through Wallis-Robinson, Shackleford and Parrish. Shackleford kicked to the corner from a penalty, and skipper ‘Treacle’ Knights won the ball at the front of the lineout. Marlow disrupted Abbey’s maul, and Bruno Renucci, their openside flanker, was shown a yellow card. Unfortunately, Shackleford over-hit his penalty kick to the corner, but Abbey still managed to come away with a try. Shackleford made a great 20-metre break after Marlow dropped out from their 22, and after Hallett moved play to the left, Parrish broke clear to score. Shackleford’s conversion was not an easy one, but he struck it superbly to make the score 22-14.  

There were still 25 minutes left of the game, but there was to be no further scoring. Charlton pinched the ball at the back of a Marlow lineout, and Wisener and prop Matt Woodrow drove to within a few metres of the home line. Marlow cleared to touch, but after Knights had won the throw, Abbey were penalised. At this point Ross Jaffray replaced House, and soon afterwards Renucci returned from the bin. Abbey were awarded another penalty, but again Shackleford couldn’t find touch and Marlow kicked clear.  

For the remainder of the game, Marlow looked the more likely to score. Leach and Beckly returned to the action in place of Toland and Hallett, and House came on for Parrish as the game entered injury time. Marlow went in search of a bonus point try, and the final phases of the match took place close to the Abbey line. One last drive saw second row Graham Lyons stopped just short of the line, and the final whistle sounded straight after this. 

Abbey never dominated the game for long periods, and there was no doubt that Marlow deserved to win. The home forwards controlled the match very well in the first half, and Abbey will regret not making better tactical use of the wind in the second half. Parrish and Floyd looked impressive in attack, but they didn’t see enough of the ball in the Marlow 22. Nugent, Beckly, Wisener and Sutherland all had good games, and Bevan’s defensive kicking was excellent. In general, this was a disappointing afternoon, and the game itself, though played in a very good spirit, was not especially memorable. Abbey will hope to return to winning ways when they welcome Milton Keynes to Rosehill next Saturday.  

Abbey: M Boucher, C House (R Jaffray 62), C Shackleford, W Parrish (C House 82), C Floyd, S Wallis-Robinson, W Bevan, O Charlton, J Leach (M Toland 40-78), M Woodrow, J Knights (captain), S Hallett (M Beckly 78), M Beckly (G Sutherland 40), M Nugent, E Wisener      

Marlow: N Carvey, D Harrison-Jones, C Cotton, H Jafari (captain), F Duguid, B Selwyn, J Rider (H Yeomans 34-43), D Potton, J Richardson, T Doyle, S Rivett, G Lyons, W Reynolds, B Renucci, K Vereti. Not used: J Goss, G Goss 

Abbey:  

Tries: Floyd, Parrish 

Con: Shackleford (2) 

Marlow: 

Tries: Jafari, Rider, Richardson 

Con: Selwyn (2) 

Pen: Selwyn 

Yellow cards: Rivett, Renucci 

Referee: N Bennett (East Midlands)