Phoenix 22 pts Broadmoor Staff 34 pts

Phoenix took on a strong Broadmoor team last Saturday at Institute Road. Lying third in the league Broadmoor were sure to test Phoenix, currently 6th to the full. But Broadmoor were surprised with the flair displayed by Phoenix and it was the forward composure displayed by Broadmoor that won the day in the end. Phoenix failed to control the Broadmoor Staff kick-off, a ploy that has become standard practice for the3 Taplow side which gave Braodmoor time to settle down and caused Phoenix to suffer Broadmoor pressure for a full 5 minutes before being able to clear their lines. Lal Turner eventually cleared into Broadmoor territory. Their relief was short lived however as a wayward chip by Phoenix was gathered by Broadmoor and used to put Phoenix back inside their own 22. A Broadmoor penalty made things worse for the home side but luckily for Phoenix, Broadmoor sent the ball wide. Phoenix gathered themselves from the restart and took play upto the Broadmoor 22. Useful lineout ball was moved wide where Adam McMillan linked with hooker James Riachardson who is very elusive and carried the ball upto the Broadmoor line and popped it up to Jason Townsend for the opening try of the match. Although Phoenix had spent much of the time in their own half, they had kept Broadmoor out and but for mistakes could perhaps had more to show for their efforts after 10 minutes of the match. With the wind at their backs, Phoenix tried to keep Broadmoor inside their own half but on several occasions, they kicked the ball dead, losing ground and possession at once. Broadmoor running from deep to take a short pass from his fly-half, a dummy was all that was needed to go under the Phoenix posts to level the scores. The conversion gave Broadmoor the lead after fifteen minutes which was extended inspite of a try saving tackle by Phoenix centre Dave McMillan which managed to hold the visitors up briefly and forced them to score wide out on the left. But any kicking aprehansion had evaporated from Broadmoor as they slotted the kick between the posts to extend their lead to 14 points to 5 with a quarter of the match expended. The Broadmoor pack was playing with assurance and control whilst Phoenix drove and shoved for all their might they were far less effective. Useful ball particularly from the lineout via second row Coltman gave Phoenix some chances and some good breaks from the base of the scrum where Lal Turner is proving elusive all came to nought through mistakes by the home side. Another Broadmoor attack gave them a cushion at 21 points to 5 but Phoenix refused to lie down and James Richardson again took the ball on after good Phoenix loose ball was moved out by Chris Laidlaw and were not to be out done and Townsend scored his second. But almost immediately Broadmoor struck back with a penalty goal just before the break.
Phoenix started the second half well enough but it was Broadmoor who extended their lead again with a short pass from their fly-half to send their centre over between the posts and take them almost out of sight at 31 points to 10. Chris Laidlaw popped up to embarrass Broadmoor, intercepting and running three-quarters of the pitch for a try beneath the posts. Phoenix however were responding to Broadmoor’s play and failed to generate pressure in sight of the Broadmoor line. Townsend then raced up to finish off a Lal Turner break and dummy from the base of a loose scrum to get Phoenix to within 9 points of the visitors with about 20 minutes of the match remaining. Behind his pack who were in control of proceedings, the Broadmoor fly-half then slotted a dropped goal to establish a more comfortable 12 point lead. As the match entered ints closing stages, Phoenix had several opportunitys close to the Broadmoor line but were unable to maintain control and pressurise their opponents for any length of time. Phoenix train every Tuesday evening at 7.00 p.m. at their grounds in Institute road Taplow.

Next weekend Phoenix travel to Abbingdon in the Bucks Berks and Oxon Premier League, kick-off 2.30 p.m. everyone is welcome.