WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

Phoenix travelled to Littlemore to play the second of their playoff games knowing if they were to win the championship would be theirs.
Having to make changes from their normal full strength side Phoenix arrived in high hopes of taking the win, although in the last encounter back in December Littlemore had given Phoenix a tough game in which Phoenix took the spoils ( 10-17).

From the outset Phoenix’s game plan was to play a little wider and move the Big Littlemore forwards around.

It was Phoenix who was making all the play as they attacked Littlemore but some resolute defence kept them at bay.

Time and again they kept pounding the Littlemore midfield and it was not long before the defence cracked and Bradley Coomber (yoda) opened the scoring and the conversion from J Townsend Started the ball rolling.

The Phoenix back row was putting the Littlemore Back line under some extreme pressure with some big hits from the Flankers J Dean and J Willis.

The next score came from a turn over ball; again the ball went wide to J Winters who made a strong run to score wide out (0-12).
Littlemore were fighting hard to maintain some good possession and from a resulting ruck they were awarded a penalty and with a kick to touch and a well taken lineout ball drove for the line and although it looked like Phoenix had managed to get under the ball the try was awarded (5-12).

Phoenix again took the game to Littlemore and some good driving from the base of the scrum and a quick rucked ball saw the full back A Leavy enter the line to give the room for winger C Russell to score wide out (5-19).

Next on the score sheet was the very impressive B Coomber who glided through the Littlemore defence to score his second try and put Phoenix in a commanding lead .(5-26)

Littlemore were not going to lie down easily and a chink in Phoenix armour allowed the Littlemore scrum half to find a hole and feed his centre to score wide out (10-26).

After the Half time chat in which Phoenix realised they were trying to force the game and play to much rugby they changed their game plan and work through the phases which put them in good stead as it was not long before they had scored their 5th try through fullback A Leavy (10-31).

The hot day in which was beginning to show it affects and Phoenix made changes to both the pack and back line, with N Colman coming on in the second row, A Walsh went to full back and the young S.Hyland coming on in the front row.

With the latter settling into his game very quickly and making some good runs around the fringes.

It was the Phoenix’s superior fitness coming through and this lead to the next try from J Winters who had run 30 yards brushing off several tackles to cross under the posts (10-43).With a further try from A Leavy and Littlemore getting their third ended with what was a good day for Phoenix (15-50) and promotion into the Berks Bucks Premier league next season.

Phoenix next game is the third of the playoffs away to Harwell on 16th April.

Team; J Dixon R Gill S Flynn A Jones A Bird J Dean J Willis J Quick T Pell K Roach C Russell J Winters B Coomber J Townsend A Leavy A Walsh N Coltman S Hyland