CONCERNS over a log jam in the Thame Football Partnership’s plans for a replacement facility for football in Thame, were aired this week.
The district council’s Chief Executive has made it quite clear that SODC will not be able to help the partnership with funding in lieu of granting planning permission for a housing development on Thame United’s old Windmill Road site.
But, unless the Football Partnership gets the
MATCH REPORT – 1st XV – National 3 South – Saturday, February 21, 2009 – Chinnor 19pts, Canterbury 53 pts.
CHINNOR were outgunned on Saturday by a Canterbury side that possessed the searing speed that proved to be so lethal in open play.
Added to this, their back three, particularly full back Gert DeCock, had the vision to exploit the smallest of gaps, run angles that split the Chinnor defence and, at the same time find support to finish off some breathtaking moves.T
There is no doubt that Canterbury had the better of Chinnor in many phases of the game. However, some of the referee’s decisions, which on occasions bordered on the lamentable, did not assist the Chinnor cause.
Chinnor welcomed back James Cathcart for his first game in three months. With the England hierarchy’s expressed wish Arthur Ellis did not start the game, Paddy Stennings took over the hooking berth (Arthur joins Bob Baker in the England Under 20’s front row against Ireland on Friday evening).
Canterbury took the lead after just three minutes during which time Chinnor could not get their hands on the ball. In a series of sweeping moves – a sign of what was to come – Michael Melford went over for the first try with DeCock adding the conversion and then slotting over a penalty just minutes later, demonstrating that he could kick as well as run!
Canterbury were 10 points ahead just eight minutes into the game. Although Chinnor tried to be positive and run the ball when they had it, a spilled pass allowed Canterbury to once again seize the initiative and after a series of punishing drives, No. 8 Christoffel Blom, forced his way over the try line. Chinnor, not to be denied, then put together a passage of play which eventually resulted in Chris Mahoney scoring a well worked try. With Cathcart converting from wide out, Chinnor were just eight points adrift with 12 minutes remaining in the half. Any thoughts of a revival were quickly thwarted when DeCock kicked a penalty and then converted two tries, both of which he instigated and Hinckins and Sykes being the scorers, which gave Canterbury a 32 pts to 7 half-time lead.
With the referee allowing Luke Harding, the Canterbury scrum-half who played at Chinnor last season, to take a tap penalty and just stroll over under the posts, DeCock converting, Canterbury added another seven points to their already commanding lead. Arthur Ellis soon made his presence felt when he finished off a good handling phase of play to score near the posts. With Cathcart converting, but the game now well out of reach, Chinnor were obviously intent on salvaging a point by virtue of scoring four tries. In an effort to achieve their goal of keeping the ball alive at every opportunity, they inevitably paid the price. A spilled pass from well inside the Canterbury half saw DeCock gallop away at a rate of knots, score under the posts and then convert his own try. A double whammy then hit Chinnor when, a kick ahead saw the ball bounce kindly into the arms of Melford who by conservative estimates was some 10 metres in front of the kicker, resulting in another try beneath the posts. Although the linesman was signalling frantically for offside, the referee chose to ignore him allowing DeCock, who was obviously having a field day, to add the conversion.
For the last 14 minutes of the game Chinnor played with an intensity that had been missing in some of their play up until then. They had their just reward when Darren Oxley scored after a series of drives and near misses. With Chinnor rushing the conversion attempt to get back at their opponents, they camped themselves on the Canterbury line.They gained a penalty some 10 metres out, took a tap kick and went over. The try, for some inexplicable reason was not given. This was seen as a harsh call in that some 40 minutes earlier under exactly the same circumstances a try was awarded. With the retake then taken, Canterbury were penalised for being all over the ball and Tytherleigh was yellow carded. Another penalty and yet another yellow card ensued, this time for Hinckins not allowing the next tap to be taken. In that this card was given for illegally preventing a try and administered in the Canterbury in goal area, was a clear indication that this was a cast iron penalty try – patently not in this referee’s vocabulary. With Chinnor then losing possession, the referee blew for no-side.
Whilst Canterbury, the better side, prevailed, the scoreline was somewhat unjust. A thirteen point gap would have given a truer indication of the overall play.
By Peter Vaughan
Pictured: Tom Fox, Manager of Thame Citizens Advice Bureau
IN the midst of the economic down-turn effecting most towns, the Manager of Thame’s Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has been explaining how a marked increase in redundancy and income problems is hitting the local community and putting a strain on his volunteer advisors.
Tom Fox, speaking to Thamenews.net, explained: “In January 2008 we had one client seeking advice on dismissal or redundancy. In January this year the number was 31. Immediately after the new year, it was quiet but then began a steady stream of people who had lost their jobs or were expecting to loose their jobs.
“The increase had been noticeable from the end of 2008. During the quarter from October to December, 2008, redundancy/dismissal enquiries increased to 49 from 28 in the same period in 2007.”
The chart pictured shows the increase in client numbers year on year (CAB’s year starts in April).
Tom continued: “The issue is not only unemployment; it is a cocktail of job and income problems, personal debt that has been accumulating over the past few years and people starting to face up to their situation.
“This is putting a significant strain on our advisers who are all unpaid volunteers. It takes about a year to train a new adviser so it is not possible to just turn a tap on and off. Everyone is working harder and trying to work smarter.
“We have a group of about 30 unsung recession heroes trying to give the town a soft landing.”
Clive Conway is association with Thame Players, will be presenting AN AUDIENCE WITH PETER SALLIS at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame, at 7.45pm on Friday, March 13.
A DEDICATED FAN
Veteran actor, Peter Sallis – star of ‘Last of the Sumer Wine’ – will be talking about his life and career. In Amongst the sellout audience will be a young German girl – a dedicated Sallis fan – who is
flying over just for the performance. Now that is dedication! The rest of the audience may not have such a journey but will certainly enjoy the performance just as much.
Peter Sallis was in the very first pilot show of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ over 30 years ago and ofcourse is still in the cast. More recently he has found a whole new fan base since he became the voice of Wallis in the ‘Wallis and Gromit’ films. The Friday night audience will hear about this and many other episodes in his life.
For any last remaining tickets for the show, which cost
THE possibility of a supermarket on the site of the current Cattlemarket in Thame, has officially been ruled out.
Talking at a meeting of Thame Town Council last night (24.02), David Buckle, Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council, said that what was being looked at was a mix of housing, retail and community use. But he warned that nothing is likely to happen until the current cattlemarket finds funding to move to an edge of town site on the Thame show ground, funding which SODC has no remit to provide.
Mr Buckle made it clear that currently the district council earns around
THE economy of Thame, like the other market towns in South Oxfordshire, faces an uncertain future.
South Oxfordshire District Council is the body responsible for the future economic development of the market towns and this evening, Thame Town Council will be given a presentation about SODC’s plans for the town.
Suzanne Malcolm, SODC’s Economic Development Manager, and her colleague, Economic Development Officer, Caroline Wood, will give their presentation as part of a full, town council meeting at 6.30pm in the council chamber this evening (24/02).
Two public meetings and various consultations have taken place over the past few months to help inform the district council’s plans for the future economic health of the market towns.
Members of the public are able to attend and observe the meeting.
TWO ex employees of Woolworths are reported to be looking at giving a new lease of life to some of the ex Woolworths shops – including Thame’s.
Tony Page, former Commercial Director of Woolworths, and two colleagues are said to be planning to open 50 shops selling ?pocket money treats and everyday items” using a name as close to the original as possible without breaching trade mark regulations.
Tony Page has apparently secured around
Thames Valley Invitational League B – Chinnor RFC RFC Oxen (Vets) XV ? 10pts v Reading RFC Rhinos (Vets) XV ? 10pts – MATCH REPORT
TOP of the league and unbeaten Reading RFC Vets paid a visit to Kingsey Road on Saturday (21/02) to visit an impressive and much improved Chinnor RFC Vets side. Having the Chinnor Vets team captained by former Reading Club Captain Dave Wells added spice to the encounter.
Last time the two sides met Reading ran out 26 ? 0 winners. This time however an impressive squad had been assembled, strengthened by Conor Begley returning to a Chinnor number 10 shirt after a number of years in the wilderness. He looked like he?d never been away.
The conditions were perfect for rugby which boded well for a mobile Chinnor Vets side. However, Reading scored first blood with a converted try 15 minutes or so into the first half which was cancelled out by a break from Paul Ewens. He tackled short of the line, off loaded beautifully to Dave Wells in support who crossed to score under the posts and subsequently convert his own try with about 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
The half time whistle blew with Chinnor Vets being 10 ? 7 ahead following a penalty deftly converted by Dave Wells again.
The true vets of Reading were vastly experienced and gave the Chinnor Vets some more to think about in the second half. Encouragement came for Chinnor from the Reading side visibly tiring and the mobility of the Chinnor pack. Some lovely handling in the backs threatened to seal the match with another score, but it was not to be as the vast experience enabled Reading to hold Chinnor back.
With the referee visibly in trouble with a knee injury, he stopped the clock for a breather before restarting with a Reading penalty which they easily converted leveling the scores at 10 ? 10 with five minutes remaining.
Try as they might Chinnor could not breach the Reading line leaving both sides thankful for the draw.
A good number of positives can be taken from this Chinnor performance, not least some returning faces.
Drifters 2nd XV at Kingsey Road this coming Saturday should see this Chinnor Vets team secure third position in the league with four games in hand.
Chinnor RFC Oxen (Vets) XV:
Craig Jones, Craig Smith, Mike Wiltshire, Dave Ratcliffe, Dan Palmer, Paul Wright, Tim DeGlanville, Stuart Reynolds, Steve Bridges, Neal Gilbert, Tony Howells, Jon Brooks, Jeremy Philpott, Doug Humphries, Conor Begley, Dave Wells, John Sellars, Paul Ewens, Alan Beveridge, Tim Wright, Josh Hill, Andre van der Mewe, Mark Turvey.
By David Ratcliffe
AS WELL AS now having its own website, members of the Thame and District Day Centre will soon learning all about the World Wide Web on the centre’s own computer.
The Day Centre Manager, Gill Coleman, told ThameNews.Net: “Our ‘Silver Surfers’ will be able to learn how to use e-mail and we will actually show them what www means and all the jargon!
“Also they could do their own shopping on line. But this will all take time to set up and we need to find a volunteer with computer skills to come in and help me deliver this. My wish also is to persuade the committee to find funding to buy a Nintendo Wii for the Day Centre then our members can get some exercise playing tennis, bowls, base ball etc. It?s a very exciting time.”
The Thame Day Centre’s web address is: www.thameanddistrictdaycentre.co.uk
Picture courtesy of Tiresias.org
LEAGUE GAME – 21/02/09 – Match report: Launton Sports 3, Thame United 2.
LAST Tuesday (Feb 17), Thame heavily defeated Prestwood, who were in 17th League place so, on paper, Saturday?s visit to 18th placed Launton Sports was unlikely to result in a defeat. Thame however lost the game in the first half when they played poorly and seemed to have little determination to win.
Many of Launton?s players looked as if they would be more at home in the first row of a scrum than on a soccer field. Their physical play, which reinforced that impression, could have been dealt with had it been faced early enough. Sadly, the referee lost control of the game and failed to protect those who were there to ?play the beautiful game? by the rulebook.
Thame opened the scoring in the 25th minute when a long free kick from the half way line found Ben Connelly on the right. He hit a low cross which the quick-reacting Mark Jones did well to knock in from six yards. The home side equalised two minutes later when a long throw in was headed on to former Thame Player, Robbie Eason, who headed past keeper Paul Searl. Five minutes later Launton were rightly awarded a penalty when a Thame player handled the ball in the area. Alex Woodfine buried the spot kick, giving Searl no chance.
Thame conceded again in the 36th minute when they again failed to deal with a long throw in, and the ball was played to James Keeble, in space, who beat Searl with a strong 15-yard shot. The teams went in for the break with the visitors trailing 3-1.
Thame?s second half performance was far better and they controlled much of the play. On 55 minutes, Pete Way hit a strong 25-yard free kick which forced an excellent save from the home keeper. Shortly after, the game was stopped for about 5 minutes whilst the referee was treated for a leg injury. His injury restricted his movement for the rest of the game and he missed many of the home side’s fouls, and simply did not see numerous ‘off the ball’ incidents. Thame pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when Dave Hocking rose above the defence to head in an Aaron Rogers corner. With about 10 minutes to play, it looked as if Thame had equalised during a goalmouth scramble following a corner, but although Thame players claimed that the ball had crossed the goal line, the stand in linesman, supplied by the home side, disagreed, and play continued.
This game was Launton?s first win of the season, and Thame?s first loss of 2009. The real looser however, was football.
Thame United: Searl, Newell (Graves), Way, Meredith, Hocking, Cowan, Connelly, Rhodes (Hoskin), Jones, Rogers, El-Kassir.
Thame entertain Finchampstead next Saturday, February 28. The visitors will be seeking to avenge a close defeat when United visited them in October.