Sat 21 Oct 2017
After defeats in their opening four games Wycombe were hoping to turn things around against mid table Wallingford. Wycombe were buoyed by being able to field their strongest team of the season and started the game strongly.
The first few minutes were dominated by the referee’s whistle, but then from a lineout Wycombe’s forwards showed their power when they marched Wallingford back 25 metres in a rolling maul which was stopped illegally and a penalty was awarded. Wycombe kicked to touch and secured the lineout, initially they made good yards through the forwards but then lost control of the ball and Wallingford secured position. Instead of clearing the ball Wallingford used their forwards to make ground but some great play from Aryton Hooker saw Wallingford penalised for holding on and Joe Openshaw took the points on offer, 3-0.
Wycombe took the re-start well but were then at the wrong end of the referee’s whistle and Wallingford set up a lineout inside the twenty-two. A well worked lineout saw Wallingford close in on the Wycombe line but in trying to score they were penalised for a double movement and Wycombe were able to clear their lines. An intelligent box kick from Joe Openshaw saw Wallingford pinned back inside their twenty-two and some great work at the lineout enabled Wycombe to steal the ball unfortunately nothing came of Wycombe’s initial attack but a knock on from Wallingford set up an attacking scrum eight metres from the line. Wycombe showed their power at the scrum and marched the Wallingford eight back and with the ball over the line Henry Wyse touched down to score; Joe Openshaw made the kick 10-0.
A mistake at the restart put Wycombe under pressure but some stout defence and good work over the ball saw Wallingford penalised. Although five metres from his own line, Joe Openshaw saw an opportunity to counter attack and took a quick penalty. With the Wallingford forwards backing off as they had not retired 10 metres Joe made it over the twenty-two and fed the ball out to the supporting Matt Wardle who carried the ball into the Wallingford half, with Wallingford scrambling back Matt drew the last defender and put away flanker Charlie Edwards who still had thirty five metres to the try line but had the pace to outstrip the covering defence and score a fantastic try, with the kick missed 15-0 after thirty minutes.
Some poor kicking put the Wycombe defence under pressure and the line speed which had been good all game dropped off and this allowed Wallingford to make good ground and eventually their pressure told when their fly half evaded a couple of tackles to score, 15-5.
Wallingford enjoyed some good possession and territory and a high tackle saw Wycombe penalised and handed Wallingford good field position. From a lineout Wallingford used their backs, but in trying to stop his opposite number centre Jake Banton took a nasty knock to the head and in the same passage of play full back Andy Easton also took a bang to the head and the referee stopped the game. Andy was able to continue but unfortunately this was the end of Jake’s game with Mike Fradgley replacing him. The referee restarted the game with a penalty to Wallingford as Wycombe were offside and the points were taken 15-8 with the half time whistle sounding.
With Wallingford impressing in the last few minutes of the first half and Wycombe now playing into a stiff breeze it was important that they started the second half strongly. From a scrum, an intelligent kick from Fly half Matt Wardle pinned Wallingford back deep inside their half. At this point the game was stopped as the referee received treatment for an injured calf which hampered him for the rest of the game. An athletic steel from Charlie Edwards at the lineout set up a Wycombe attack, initially a strong carry from Aryton Hooker made good yards and from the ruck the ball was spun out to number eight Eddie Roche who whilst in contact offloaded out the back of his hand to Charlie Edwards who ran in to score untouched, with the kick made by Joe Openshaw 22-8.
With some more intelligent kicking from Matt Wardle Wycombe were controlling the territory and any attacks Wallingford could mount were from deep. The Wycombe scrum which was strong all afternoon was awarded a penalty when Wallingford wheeled the scrum. This set up a lineout near to the Wallingford line, and Wycombe were awarded another penalty when a maul was illegally brought down. A scrum was called for and with it wheeling number eight Eddie Roche picked up from the base but was well stopped. The ball was fed out to Stephen Phillpot who was initially held up in the tackle but with the power of the forwards behind him he was pushed over the line and was able to ground the ball for Wycombe’s fourth try, Joe made the kick 29-8.
With fifteen minutes left and looking comfortable Wycombe’s intensity slightly dropped and they conceded a number of penalties which Wallingford took quickly but to Wycombe’s credit they never threatened the line and the game finished 29-8.
