Bicester 18 pts Phoenix 12 pts

Bicester 18 pts Phoenix 12 pts
Phoenix travelled to Bicester in the Bucks Berks and Oxon Premier League last Saturday with ambitions to record only their second victory of the season. Devastated by a clutch of injuries during the early season when they suffered at the hands of the top three teams in their league. Nevertheless, buoyed by the return from injury of flanker Dave Harris, lock Neil Wincombe, prop Rob Challis and centre Dave MacMillan their hopes were high.

With the sloping field favouring the home side during the first half, Phoenix held their lines for the first 20 minutes until a Bicester lineout 15 metres out was taken on by the Bicester pack in a rolling maul and their flanker crashed ove to score the opening try of the match. The conversion gave Bicester some breathing space which they needed as Phoenix recovered strongly taking play deep into the Bicester 22.

The Bicester defence was strong however and forced a 5 meter scrummage rather than give away a try. Phoenix wing three-quarter Rob Innes cut back inside and popped the ball to Lar Turner who sliced through close to the posts. Nigel Coltman converted to level the scores at 7 points a-piece as the half came to a close. Phoenix commanded operations in the scrummage but had less luck at the lineout with the result that penalty infringements were of little use to the visitors, failing to regain possession at ensuing lineouts. Phoenix were capable of running the ball well from any wayward Bicester clearances but struggled to make use of their own possession from the scrummage where their strength surprised the Bicester pack. As a result, Phoenix centres MacMillan and Hood were destined for an afternoon of defence.

With honours even at the break and the visitors benefiting from the slope of the pitch, Phoenix had everything to play for. Crucially Bicester snatched an early penalty goal in the second half before Phoenix put them under considerable pressure on their own line. After a series of attacks, the irrepressible Lar Turner charged down a Bicester clearance kick and the also irrepressible Dave Harris pounced to take Phoenix into a slender 12 points to 10 lead. But a second Bicester penalty goal saw the home side retake the lead by the even more slender margin of one point. This seemed to lift the home side and from a driving maul they struck with their second try of the match to take a 6 point lead. Phoenix brought on Chris Vaughan at prop for Challis and later added Billy Duncan at No. 8. Phoenix spent the final 10 minutes of the match within striking distance of the Bicester line but the home side were not going to let this victory slip away and finished the victors by two penalty goals.

Next weekend is a non-league weekend. Phoenix train every Tuesday evening at 7.00 p.m. at their grounds in Institute road Taplow see www.phoenixrfc.com for further information.
Phoenix: E Dibb, S Smith, R Challis, N Wyncombe, A Bird, N Coltman, D Harris, P Devlin, L Turner, Roche, D MacMillan, M Hood, A McMillan, R Innes, J Townsend.
Subs: B Duncan, C Vaughan, T Jost.