Phoenix 22 Pts v Chipping Norton 38 Pts

This was a repeat of the league meeting early in December and according to League form should have been a straight forward victory for Chipping Norton. The fact that Phoenix were camped on the Chipping Norton line with just 5 minutes left in which to snatch the try that would have given them the lead (and possibly the match) owed much to the commitment Phoenix captain Dave Harris’s side. In particular the pack drove Chipping Noton off the ball on several occasions and some enterprising play from Phoenix full back Bradley Coomber. Indeed it was a Coomber try that levelled the scores after half an hour and Coomber who created the space and made the scoring pass for Jason Townsend to touch down in the corner to take the lead early in the second half. This was far from a one-man show though. Kieran Roche, James Richardson and Lar Turner cut down their opposite numbers on many occasions in defence and made useful yards with the ball in hand but it was flanker Tony Porter who defensively thwarted Chipping Norton mostly and he was the player to cross for Phoenix’ opening try after 20 minutes to level the scores after Chipping Norton had burst through from the Phoenix 22. Townsend made no mistake with the conversion to take the lead, 7-5. Chipping Norton responded almost immediately, bursting through in mid-field. And Coomber came into the Phoenix line to core a superb try to level the scores on 32 minutes. Seconds later Phoenix took the lead with a Townsend penalty. But Chipping Norton squeezed a final try just before the break with a clever grubber kick through for a try and turned round 19 points to 15 ahead.

In the second half, Coomber came into the line again and fed Townsend first down the right when Townsend was tackled just inches short of the line and then after recycling again down the right to take Phoenix into a slender lead with his own conversion from the touchline bisecting the posts to add the extras. Phoenix rang the changes using both Luke Maundrill and John Kilby in succession with Maundrill yo-yoing on and off the field several times for the injured Tim Morgan, who was making his season debut. Both sides had defended strongly up until this point but a few mistakes began to creep in and Chipping Norton capitalised on one such error to retake the lead at 26 points to 22. Phoenix then launched a ferocious assault on the Chipping Norton line. T he pack had already been held up over the line twice in the first half and they were to be denied in the same way again as the match entered injury time and needing just 5 points to take the match. The match then ended in extraordinary fashion. Firstly Chipping Norton elected to go for the corner from a penalty within easy kicking range and somehow managed to kick the ball dead, giving Phoenix a 22 restart with which to launch a further attack. Phoenix managed to give away a scrummage on their own 22 and Chipping Norton crashed through for a try that effectively settled the match. With only seconds remaining Chipping Norton conjured up a final try to take their score to a rather flattering 38 points and finish off a very entertaining match.

Next week Phoenix travel to Littlemore in the BB&O Premier League.

Phoenix: J Willis, R Gill, C Vaughan, N Wincomb, A Jones, T Porter, M Lloyd, R Morgan; D Harris (Captain), K Roche, J Dainty, J Richardson, L Turner, J Townsend, B Coomber

Subs: L Maundrill, J Kilby, S Smith