Sat 25 Nov 2017
A last minute try ensured High Wycombe came away with the points when they met local rivals Drifters at Kingsmead. With both teams struggling in the league this was an important game if either team wanted to move away from the foot of the table.
It was the home team who started the strongest forcing Drifters into conceding a number of penalties. Wycombe opted to kick for touch and set up a strong rolling maul but some stout defense stopped the attack just short of the line and Wycombe were penalised, enabling Drifters to clear their lines. A knock on at a lineout presented Wycombe with a scrum on the halfway line but some good Drifters pressure forced the home team to cough up possession and Wycombe were then penalised for a high tackle in midfield. Drifters opted to take a long range shot at goal and an excellent kick saw Drifters take a 0-3 lead. Wycombe hit back and from a penalty for not releasing kicked for touch and set up a lineout on the Drifters twenty-two. A rolling maul took play close to the line but when this came to nothing the ball was spun out to the backs where some good hands put full back Andy Easton away to score, with the kick missed 5-3. It was now the visitors turn to spend some time in Wycombe’s twenty-two and from a lineout they set-up a rolling maul which was well defended forcing them to use their backs where an accurate long pass in midfield put the Drifters full back away to score, with the kick made 5-10. With both teams lacking confidence the game was littered with mistakes and a knock on from the home team set up a scrum on the halfway line. A big effort from the Wycombe scrum pushed Drifters off the ball and number eight Charlie Edwards picked up from the base, he brushed off a couple of weak tackles and carried the ball deep into the twenty-two where he broke through another tackle to score a fantastic individual try, with Joff Forber making the kick 12-10. The game continued to be a scrappy affair with both teams conceding penalties and from a couple of Drifters infringements close to their line Wycombe opted for a lineout. A good take from Charlie Edwards enabled Wycombe to secure possession but instead of setting up a maul prop Aryton Hooker peeled off and scored, with the kick missed 17-10. With no more meaningful action the score remained 17-10 at halftime.
Drifters started the second half well and put the home team under pressure forcing them into conceding a number of penalties. They initially kicked for touch but when the home team were again penalised in front of their posts Drifters opted to take the three points 17-13. Drifters continued to enjoy the majority of the territory and only some excellent goal line defense stopped the away team from scoring and Wycombe were able to clear to the halfway line. Drifters once again applied pressure near the Wycombe line and with their forwards unable to score the ball was spun out to the backs where a nice pass in midfield enabled them to score, with the kick missed 17-18. With less than two minutes remaining it looked like Wycombe were going to slip to another defeat, but great kick off and chase forced Drifters into a mistake and Wycombe had a scrum on the visitor’s ten metre line. A solid scrum allowed the home team to build some phases through the forwards and then spin the ball out wide to Jake Banton who broke a tackle and showed great pace to outstrip the defense to score in corner 22-18, with the kick missed the final whistle sounded.
Man of the Match – Charlie Edwards
