Phoenix 31 v Berkshire Shire Hall 27

Phoenix consolidated their third-place position in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Championship with a second victory on the spin against Berkshire Shire Hall.
Two weeks after recording a 19-7 win over the Sonning-based club, Phoenix knew they were in for another tough contest against a fired-up opposition seeking revenge.
However, it was the home side who came out of the traps faster and piled on some early pressure at the set piece.
The Shire Hall pack must be sick of the sight of their opposite numbers after they were once again destroyed at scrum time and decidedly second best in the lineout.
It was from a stolen lineout on the Shire Hall five-metre line that prop Luca Piemontesi powered over in the corner for the first try of the game.
Five minutes later Phoenix number 8 Callum Brodie extended the lead following a well-worked lineout move. In what was almost a carbon copy of Brodie’s try, flyhalf Jay Henderson went over after yet more good work by the Phoenix forwards.
Shire Hall hit back with a try of their own on the stroke of halftime for a 18-7 scoreline at the break.
If Phoenix thought they would have it all their own way in the second half they were mistaken. In a stirring second-half fightback, Shire Hall’s dangerous back line produced four well-crafted tries.
It was left to Phoenix outside centre Jason Townsend to save his teammates’ blushes with a converted try that ensured a home win.
Commenting after the game, Phoenix player-coach Tony Porter said: “It’s no wonder [Phoenix head coach] Tony Padfield’s hair is falling out – our defensive display in that second half was the stuff of nightmares.
“Fortunately, we had enough credit in the bank from an excellent first half. It was lovely to see young Jay Henderson get a try, at first I mistook him for a prop at the bottom of a driving maul.”
Elsewhere, Phoenix 2s beat Marlow 3s 17-15 in another close game at Institute Road.
Phoenix travel to Abingdon next Saturday, while Phoenix 2s will play away against Windsor 4s.