High Wycombe travelled up the M40 to take on a Bicester team who had yet to win in the league this season. Unfortunately, due to unavailability Wycombe were forced into making changes to the team that narrowly lost to Aylesbury.

The game didn’t start as planned with Wycombe being penalised just outside their twenty-two offering Bicester the opportunity of three points, but the chance wasn’t taken and the game remained scoreless. Wycombe’s first chance of the game came from a scrum inside their own twenty-two. With the scrum under pressure a great clearing kick from Matt Wardle was allowed to bounce and the ball skipped its way inside the Bicester twenty-two. The Bicester full back collected the ball and decided to run it back, but a great chase and tackle by Will Outten stopped him in his tracks. Wycombe flooded the breakdown and Ollie Fennell-Wells picked up the ball and carried it close to the line but knocked on in contact. With Wycombe attacking the Bicester twenty-two a poor pass forced the away team to concede a penalty. This gave Bicester good field position and another penalty for not rolling away gave the home team a lineout just short of the Wycombe line. Initially some strong defence held the ball up over the line, but from the scrum a move down the blindside enabled Bicester to score 5-0.

After losing possession an accurate kick pinned Wycombe back inside their twenty-two and a Bicester knock on gave the away team a scrum. A strong carry took play over the twenty-two, but the ball was stripped in the tackle and Bicester regained the ball. Some solid carries from the big Bicester forwards made inroads into the Wycombe defence and they eventually scored, with the kick made 12-0. With less the ten minutes until half time Wycombe hit back, a strong run from Harry Tanner beat a couple of Bicester defenders and took play into Bicester territory. Wycombe kept the ball well and some excellent hands put Alex Chietan in space, an excellent side step beat the covering defence and enabled him to score 12-5. With only minutes remaining Wycombe weren’t finished and a strong break from Josh Hall put the away team on the front foot. Some excellent continuity took play up to the twenty-two where a short pass from Ollie Fennell-Wells put Greg Butters away and he had the pace to score, with Matt Wardle making the kick 12-12. With Wycombe now on top the half time whistle blew.

Half Time 12-12

Wycombe started the second half as they finished the first and a penalty for kicking the ball through the ruck gave the away team a lineout five metres out. The lineout was won but some strong defence meant this came to nothing and Bicester cleared their lines. A Wycombe knock on presented Bicester with a scrum on the twenty-two, a simple scissor move found a hole in the defence and the Bicester inside centre scored 19-12. Wycombe presented the home team with another opportunity to score when they were penalised on the ten-metre line, Bicester opted for the kick at goal but missed. At the twenty-two Wycombe went short but knocked on and a scrum was awarded. This set up a scrappy passage of play where Bicester dropped the ball several times but held onto possession. Eventually at a ruck the Bicester winger picked up the ball and evaded three tackles to score, 24-12. Wycombe’s effort couldn’t be faulted but injuries to Mike Fradgley and Matt Wardle meant a reshuffle and the away team never really threatened the try line and the game finished 24-12.

Man of the Match

Alex Cheitan

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