Author: Sonja Francis

Chinnor 2 XV, 31 Pts Vs Henley 2 XV, 15 points: Saturday, January 23, 2010 – MATCH REPORT

CHINNOR Seconds have added the league leaders, Henley seconds to their list of impressive home game results this season.

Henley has not lost a game this season and Chinnor knew this was going to be a challenge against such a good rugby club with their first team in national two. The moment that the two teams ran onto the pitch you could feel the atmosphere. This game was played between two very good teams at full strength.
Chinnor started the game looking like they were stronger, and it wasn?t long before they were awarded a penalty, which was converted into points by Ben Hewitt in his first game back from injury.
The two teams soon found their rhythm and played very well with Chinnor having the advantage in the forwards. But it was Henley that got the next points with a try against the run of play.

Chinnor once again put Henley under a lot of pressure with them defending the try line and Chinnor just keep driving them back and were rewarded with a well earned try by Ricky Hopwood which was converted by Ben Hewitt and Chinnor took the lead back 10 points to 5. The next twenty minutes of the first half saw Chinnor forwards putting Henley under a lot of pressure, but being the good side they are they managed to stop Chinnor coming away with any more points.

The second half started with a more determined Henley taking the game to Chinnor, and the Chinnor forwards once again dominated at all the set pieces as they had in the first half. Chinnor had lost Pip Seymour at the end of the first half then James Serrano shortly afterwards from the back line. Once again most of the game was played between the two twenty two metre lines exhibiting some real physical rugby from both sides. Chinnor again added the first points of the half with the forwards driving Ben Ramsdale over the try line and Hewitt adding the two extra points.

In the 20th minute Henley caught Chinnor napping and ran in a great try from their own 22-metre line, which they converted. Once again it was game on with the Chinnor?s lead cut down to 17 points to 15. But then Henley lost their prop and with no replacement prop the game was forced into uncontested scrums that benefited Henley. Chinnor forwards had had the upper hand until then. Ben Hewitt added another penalty and hit the bar with another, the game finished 20 points to 15 in Chinnor?s favour and another great win for the team.

Baz Corpe and Jack Green from the colts played the whole game and showed great potential and were a credit to the team.
All nineteen of the Chinnor team had good games with Mowbray and Hewitt standing out, but man of the match goes to this weeks captain Ian Stock who has also returned after a long lay off due to injury.

Walter McGuicken

AFTER four years of intensive planning, the Thame Football Partnership (TFP) has announced that work on the new Community Football facility at Church Farm, on the northern edge of Thame, will commence in the next few weeks, with a planned completion date of Autumn 2010.

Frank Thompson, the TFP Communications Director said: “it is great news that we are now in a position to move forward with the largest community investment in Thame for the best part of a decade. As a group of committed volunteers we have worked hard to turn this dream into a reality, but we should not underestimate the contribution that Thame Town Council have made, and will continue to make, in enabling the project to move forward”.

He added: “Support has also been forthcoming from local MP John Howell, who has been instrumental in enabling this project to move forward and we are very grateful for his assistance to date, commented Thompson. With this now in place, TFP are looking forward to working with the local community to create a first class facility for the benefit of the town.”

The project, which will provide a single venue for Thame Boys, Youth and Girls Football Club and Thame United Football Club, will see the creation of nine football pitches on the 20 acre site, including a floodlit main pitch, pitches of varying size to accommodate the needs of youth football and a floodlit artificial pitch, together with a modern clubhouse providing changing and spectator facilities, bar, function area and conference and community facilities.

LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS TO BENEFIT

The new clubhouse will include function and community facilities that will be available to use by local groups and organisations, and those interested in using the facilities should contact TFP (admin@thamefootball.co.uk) to register their interest.

HELP FIND A NAME

The partnership (TFP) is looking for assistance in naming the new facility. If you have any ideas for a name, please contact Frank by emailing him:
frank.thompson@thamefootball.co.uk with your suggestions. Whoever comes up with the winning name will win an Xbox360 or a round of golf for four at either the Oxfordshire or the Magnolia Park Golf Club, as well as having the honour of naming the facility.
Further details on this exciting competition will be announced shortly.

GET INVOLVED!

Whilst funding has been secured to build the new facility, TFP are looking to raise extra funds over the next six months to ensure everything is in place when the new facility opens. Accordingly, TFP have announced a series of fund raising initiatives that can be accessed through www.thamefootball.co.uk
ranging from Corporate Sponsorship to a ?Buy a Brick? scheme.

“This facility will be for the benefit of the community as a whole and everyone is encouraged to get involved in any way they can to help in the final push,” said Frank Thompson.

LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES

The main contractors for the development will be holding an open evening in the near future to enable any local businesses interested in tendering for work on the project to register their interest. Further details on this evening will be made available on the TFP website and through the local press soon.

HOW HAS THE PROJECT BEEN FUNDED?

Over the last four years TFP have been advised by specialist sports consultants, Sports Solutions GB, and have worked closely with key local delivery partners and funding organisations, including Thame Town Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the Football Foundation, in order to create a financially sustainable facility for the town.

Funding and assistance for the circa

AWAY LEAGUE GAME – 23/01/10 – Rayners Lane 0, Thame United 4; MATCH REPORT

AFTER six weeks without a competitive game, Thame United came back in style at Rayners Lane on Saturday, winning 0-4. United were without three key players due to suspension, but nevertheless they delivered their best performance for several months and outclassed their fifth placed hosts.

Thame controlled the opening exchanges and after 4 minutes play Aaron Rogers was unlucky to see his 20-yard shot hit the crossbar. Ten minutes later Stuart Braun met a Luke Rickets cross from the left but his header also hit the bar. The game was 18 minutes old before Thame keeper Lee Orkney was forced into action with a good save. Although Thame were in control, the game was still goalless, so it was a great relief to United?s 15 or so supporters when after 24 minutes they took the lead. Home keeper Dominic Cassells collected the ball but was slow to reintroduce it into play. Surprisingly the referee enforced the six-second rule, and awarded United an indirect free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Adam Rhodes then stood with his foot on the ball whilst his brother Nik took the kick, which he buried high in the right corner. Despite protests from the home crowd, the referee awarded a goal. The home side came back, and a few minutes later, following a home corner, Ricketts was forced to clear a goal bound shot off the Thame goal line. Just before halftime, Cassells parried a shot but then the talented Rogers gathered the ball and dribbled past the oncoming keeper before finishing from an acute angle.

The first few minutes of second half saw the home side attacking but then United regained midfield control. Their third goal came in the 58th minute when Rogers cut in from the left, beat two men on his way to the by-line, and cut the ball back to Stuart Barr who hit a well-placed shot from 12 yards. Rogers was on sparkling form, so it was no surprise when, 10 minutes later he, beat his marker and ran to the right by-line before squaring the ball to Stuart Braun, who cleverly deflected the ball home at the near post. During the final minutes, the plucky home side fought to get a consolation goal but Thame defended well with Nik Rhodes particularly influential at the heart of the defence.

Overall, it was an excellent performance by the Thame squad who, if they can continue their momentum, will finish in the top two at the end of the season.

Thame United: Orkney, Newell, Meredith, N. Rhodes, Hocking (P Way), El-kassir, Barr, A Rhodes, Rogers (Barnett), Braun ( G Way), Ricketts.

United are away to Penn & Tylers Green next Saturday 30th January. Their next home game is in on Saturday 13th February, when they meet Didcot Town Reserves.