Author: Sonja Francis

MATCH REPORT Chinnor v Richmond – Saturday, April 11,2009 – Chinnor 21 pts Richmond 35pts.

TWO key moments towards the latter stages cost Chinnor dearly at Kingsey road on Saturday. Trailing by just seven points, they had an attacking scrum just 15 metres out from the Richmond line. Richmond were allowed to disrupt the Chinnor put-in and scramble the ball away to safety. Then minutes later, Chinnor, instead of keeping the ball in hand some 35 metres from the Richmond goal line, elected to put up a kick, which was easily fielded inside their opponents 22, allowing Francois Van Schalkwyk to call a mark.
Expecting a kick to touch, they were totally off guard when the winger ran the ball resulting in a try some seconds later with the Chinnor defence at sixes and sevens. That Matt Hart, who only missed one kick all afternoon, converted from the touchline only rubbed salt into the wound. So looking at a bonus point at least, with just minutes to go, they were left with nothing.
This was cruel in that Chinnor had fought hard in an endeavour to claw the game back after front rowers Arthur Ellis, who ran superbly for his try and Joe Winpenny who forced his way over in in the corner, had given them heart.

Chinnor made just the one change with Ben Hewitt coming into the centre for the absent Trevor Powell, Chris Mahoney going from the wing to full back and Tom Sheil starting on the wing. Chinnor started superbly going close on two occasions before Hewitt and Mahoney combined to carve out an opening allowing Richard Williams to score in the corner. This was in the second minute and when James Cathcart added a penalty five minutes later, Chinnor were eight points to the good. Matt Hart then kicked two penalties in the 10th and 17th minutes. Both Cathcart and Hart then exchanged penalties and with four minutes to go before the interval Chinnor had their noses just ahead.

Richmond were now beginning to control the set pieces and after a pressurising the Chinnor line, Kris Greene, their lively scrum half, spotted a gap and went over fairly near the posts allowing Hart an easy conversion. This meant that Chinnor were five points adrift at the half-time whistle.

For the first five minutes of the second period, Chinnor found it most difficult to get their hands on the ball. Chinnor then had a put-in at the scrummage some seven metres from their line. Richmond, who were now causing a few problems up front, caught Chinnor in possession on their line. In the resultant melee and with bodies everywhere, the referee decided that Richmond had scored. It was not evident who had conjured this try, but with the Richmond players congratulating their No.3 the conclusion was reached that it must have been Nick Gaskell.

Not to be denied Chinnor then scored when Arthur Ellis intercepted a pass to run some 55 metres, and though hotly pursued by winger Jo Ajuwa, managed to shrug off his tackle to score a fine individual try. It was then Richmond’s turn again when Ajuwa turned on the after burners to outstrip the Chinnor defence and score wide out. Hart added the conversion. Joe Winpenny was next to keep the Chinnor hopes alive when he took a pass from Ben Hewitt to touch down in the corner. When Winpenny took the pass he still had it all to do but he dipped his shoulder and went over in fine style.

With 17 minutes left at this stage, and the score 28 points to 21 in Richmond’s favour it was still all to play for. However the odd wrong option caused Chinnor grief in the final stages and this was compounded by a Richmond try out of nothing, at the end of the game.

There was no doubt that Richmond deserved the win. They starved Chinnor of possession at many phases and were quite clinical in their finishing. Matt Hart, their captain was an influential and shrewd player who controlled the Richmond tactics at all times. Chinnor’s fate at this level, lies in their performance next Saturday against the all conquering London Scottish who, no doubt, will wish to finish the season unbeaten and hence award Chinnor no favours.

Looking for omens? Well last season Barking had to win against an unbeaten Mounts Bay to stay in National 3. Against all odds they did just that. Who knows, there could be a repeat. An unfancied Chinnor had the better of high flying Ealing. Is there a sting in the tail? Now that would be the stuff that dreams are made of.

AFTER a sometimes frustrating few months during which weather conditions have forced the postponement of many fixtures, teams from Thame Tennis Club have been completing their winter season matches.

In the Aylesbury league, the Ladies 2 team, captained by Rosie Knight have secured second place in Division 5. Their last 5 matches have seen the team achieve 3 victories ? a 7 sets to 1 win away to Aylesbury; a 5 sets to 3 win at home to Widmer End and, for their last match of the season a resounding 8 sets to 0 win also at home against Horsenden. A draw of 4 sets all away to Oving and defeat against Princes Risborough last month completes their results. Team: A Green, P Barfield, A Morgan, L See, H Richards.

Also in the Aylesbury League, the Mixed Team in Division 4 also finished their winter season on a high note with a strong away win of 7 sets to 1 against Wingrave 2. First pair, Dawn Munro and Kevin Bowers, defeated the hosts first pair 6-3 6-4 and the second pair 6-2 6-0. Thame second pair, Pip Barfield and team captain John Ansell, were also successful against the Wingrave first pair with a 2 sets victory of 6-2 6-0. Pip and John then halved their match against the second pair 6-4 4-6.

Fortunes had been reversed a few weeks earlier when the team’s unbeaten run came to an end with defeat away to Horsenden by 7 sets to 1. However, with another strong win of 8 sets to 0 at home to Cheddington 3, where 7 of the 8 sets were won by Thame with a score of 6 games to 1, this gave the final standing of the team, whose other members included John Patrick, Stella Marsh and Terry Merry a very respectable tally of 5 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses overall.

For more information about Thame Tennis Club please go to their website at www.thametennisclub.org.uk

LEAGUE MATCH – Tuesday, 7/04/09 – Henley Town 1, Thame United 1.

THAME United extended their unbeaten run to seven games on Tuesday evening, April 7, when they drew 1-1 at Henley Town. Thame are currently 10th in the league whilst Henley are in 5th place. Nevertheless, the teams were evenly matched, which resulted in a fast, entertaining game which either side could have won.

Thame started brightly and opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Ben Connelly collected the ball just inside the Henley half and made one of his pacey runs on the right, beating his marker before hitting an accurate cross to Tom Hoskin who clinically beat the keeper from 6-yards. Henley countered and Thame goalkeeper, Paul Searl was forced to make some good saves. The home team however equalised in the 23rd minute with a fierce 25-yard shot from Darren Paiser that gave Searl no chance. Henley had Thame ?on the back foot? for a while and had chances to increase their lead but their finishing was weak and Searl was able to deal comfortably with the threat. Thame recovered, and it was only fair that the teams went in for the break with the scores level.

Although enjoyable, the second half was a goalless anticlimax. Possession, territory, and chances were 50/50 with both teams containing the opposition and neither goalkeeper seriously tested. With about 15 minutes to play, Thame?s talented left-winger Stuart Barr received a bad challenge and a foul was awarded. Although neither I, nor the Thame bench saw the incident, I am told that Barr reacted by lashing out at his aggressor. The referee reached for his red card and Barr was dismissed.

Unfortunately, several Thame players received injuries and may not be fit to play in all of the three games scheduled for the next six days.

Thame United: Searl, Meredith, Way, Thompson, Hocking (A Rhodes), Cowan, Connelly, Jones (El-kassir), Gough (Rickets), Hoskin Barr.

A BETTTER result came for Thame on Thursday, April 9, when they beat Prestwood five goals to one.

Such was United?s dominance of this game, that they rarely needed to get out of first gear and the only surprise was that they did not score more than five goals in a game where they had no fewer than 27 shots on goal. United had to wait until the 25th minute for the opening goal, having already created eight goal scoring opportunities up to this point. The goal was made by Pete Way who curled an inch perfect ball from just inside his own half through to Tom Hoskin who raced through the static Prestwood defence to confidently beat the Prestwood keeper low to his right. After Hoskin, Ben Connelly and Tom Goffe had all gone close, United extended their lead in the 37th minute when Luke Ricketts picked up a loose ball in the area and from the narrowest of angles smashed the ball inside the keepers near post.

United made it 3-0 three minutes after the break when, after some good work down the right flank, winger Ben Connelly crossed for Hoskin to finish confidently. Prestwood then scored what would only turn out to be a consolation goal in the 53rd minute, with a well placed header from a corner. The three goal cushion was maintained two minutes later when a Luke Ricketts corner was met by a powerful header from centre back Sam Cowan. With United in complete control it was only a matter of time before the fifth goal. This duly arrived in the 79th minute when Ricketts met a pin-point cross field ball from substitute Mark Jones and side-footed the ball beyond the Prestwood keeper. Both Ricketts and Hoskin had chances to complete their hatrick but, with the light fading, United had to settle for five goals and another three points.

The win extends the unbeaten run to eight, during which time United have collected 20 points from a possible 24 and are now well-placed in the top half of the league.

Thame United ? Searl, Meredith, Way, Cowan, Thompson, El-Kassir, A.Rhodes, Connelly (Barr) Ricketts, Goffe, Hoskin (Jones).

Photo: Goalscorer Luke Ricketts, Sam Cowan and Tom Hoskin