BBOPa – Swindon College Old Boys 41 v Phoenix 36

Phoenix made the journey down the M4 to play the league leaders, Swindon College Old Boys, and although they didn’t win the game it was an encouraging performance that earned two well deserved bonus points from a hard fought exciting match.

Buoyed by the spirited win against Stow the previous week it was Phoenix who started the stronger of the two teams, using the wind to put pressure on the home side from the start. Indeed it was Phoenix who scored the first points of the match when Jason Townsend collected a perfectly weighted chip ahead from Scrum Half Weeraphon Thongchumsaeng to outstrip the cover and score beneath the posts. Nigel Coltman scored the first of six kicks at goal from the resultant conversion. Just a few minutes later Phoenix scored again when the forwards capitalised on some good lineout work to drive Edd Dibb over for a try. Coltman missed the conversion but scored shortly afterwards with a penalty to make the lead 15-0.

After a poor first quarter the larger College forwards began to exert some pressure and poor first up tackling allowed College to drive up the middle and reduce the arrears with a converted try.

Phoenix steadied their nerves with a long range Coltman penalty only to concede another soft try from a back row move off an attacking College scrum. A penalty from each side completed the first half scoring and at 21-15. Phoenix were left to reflect on a half where they had let the initiative slip and allowed their opponents to close the gap.

The second half started badly for Phoenix when College scored an early converted try to take the lead at 22-21. College now had the wind on their backs and began to get on top using their forward drives to tie up the Phoenix defence before releasing their backs. Coltman did briefly restore the Phoenix lead with a long range penalty but Phoenix were now reliant upon their team spirit and dogged defence to keep a grip on the match. However Swindon then unleashed their secret weapon as they brought on Goliath’s bigger brother, who tore up the park several times leaving defenders in his wake.

Despite a determined rearguard performance from all the team Phoenix conceded three further tries during this period and entered the final 15 minutes well behind at 24-41. Phoenix regained some self belief driven on by scrum half Thongchumsaeng who started to spread the ball wide and create chances bringing full back Midlane into the line at every opportunity. Phoenix were rewarded when Townsend seized on a loose ball
at half way and sprinted clear to score a try converted by Coltman.

In the last 8 minutes Phoenix threw everything into attack and were unlucky not to score when Thongchumsaeng put Midlane through just yards short of the line, only to have the try disallowed because the referee said he himself had got in the way of one of the
Swindon defenders. However Phoenix clinched their 4th try bonus point and put themselves within 7 points of the home side when Dave McMillan and Matt Simpson drove through the College defence to feed the supporting Iain Watkinson for a well deserved try making the final score 36-41.

Team Midlane,A.McMillan,D.McMillan,Keohane,Townsend, Roche, Thongchumsaeng,
Dibb, Smith, Simpson, Billson, Wincomb, M.Jones, Coltman, Watkinson (capt)

Sub. R.Challis

- Steve Rafferty (President)