Sat 16 Nov 2019
Didcot RUFC 19 – 22 High Wycombe RUFC
After victory over a dogged Chesham, Wycombe travelled to Oxfordshire to take on newly promoted Didcot. With twelve of last week's squad injured or unavailable Wycombe fielded an extremely youthful team with three players making their debuts and the average age of the starting fifteen being just twenty one.
The game started with the home team on the front foot carrying the ball strongly into the opposition half. Wycombe defended well with some strong tackles and after ten phases of play Didcot spun the ball out wide which was intercepted on his own ten metre line by captain Joff Forber. He showed great strength to hand off two defenders and carry the ball into the opposition twenty-two. With the defence scrambling back his path to the line looked blocked but an audacious dummy wrong footed the covering defence and he went over to score a fantastic solo try, debutant Billy Bickford made the conversion 0-7. Wycombe knocked on at the restart and were then penalised at the scrum for an early engagement. Didcot went quickly and another penalty for hands in the ruck gave an opportunity at points, but the kick was pushed wide. The game was turning into a scrappy affair and was often punctuated by the referee’s whistle. From one of those penalties Wycombe set up good field position and a strong break from centre Harry Tanner took play into the twenty-two where he was brought down by a high tackle. The penalty was taken quickly and a great pass to prop Ayrton Hooker saw him bulldoze through two tackles and he was just about to score when play was brought back for a forward pass. As the referee was playing advantage for Didcot not being ten metres the away team opted for a scrum. A strong scrum put Wycombe on the front foot and after several phases a hard carry from Joff Forber enabled him to score, Billy Bickford made the kick 0-14. Wycombe continued to look dangerous and a powerful break from Lewey Newton took play into the opposition half, he managed to offload the ball Sibu Zulu who chipped the ball over the defence but some effective Didcot covering managed to clear their lines. Wycombe were soon on the back foot when they were harshly penalised at a scrum, a great kick took play up to the Wycombe twenty-two. A great steal at the lineout gave the away team the ball back but the clearance didn’t make touch and a mazy run from the Didcot winger took play up to the line. With the forwards taking over they eventually scored 5-14. Another penalty saw Wycombe defending their line once again, but more good defence forced Didcot to kick in behind, Njabs Zulu scooped up the ball beat four players and the away team managed to clear their lines and there was no further score in the first half
HALF TIME 5-14
The second half started with Wycombe on the attack, a penalty for a high tackle saw Didcot reduced to fourteen men and Billy Bickford kicked the points on offer, 5-17. The next thirty minutes saw the young Wycombe side struggle to get gain any territory or possession. They weren’t helped by being on the wrong side of the referee’s whistle and must have conceded at least ten penalties. This added to the already growing confidence of the home team who had upped their game and played some good rugby. After several penalties quick succession Didcot decided to tap and go quickly, although Wycombe defended manfully the home team went over to score with the kick made 12-17. It wasn’t long until Wycombe were defending their own line again but some strong work over the ball by Mike Fradgley secured the penalty and the ball was cleared. Penalties were hurting Wycombe and they were camped inside their twenty-two. From a scrum the Didcot inside centre ran a great line to go over and score, with the kick made 19-17. With ten minutes to go and forced to defend for most of the half it seemed that the Wycombe youngsters had run out of steam, but no one had told them that. The team showed great character and with only minutes remaining a long raking kick was fielded in his own half by Sibu Zulu, he showed great feet to skip round his opposite number and carry the ball into the opposition half. Seeing the back field empty he put in an intelligent kick which stopped inches before the try line forcing the retreating defenders to play the ball. Although they did well to not to carry it over the line the clearance was sliced giving Wycombe a lineout five metres out. An accurate throw set up a maul but as the backs were on their way to join the maul experience took over as Mike Fradgley spotted a gap and broke off. He was well tackled by the fly half but offloaded from the floor to the supporting Harry Tanner who went over to score. Billy Bickford took his full minute and although missed the conversion the final whistle sounded 19-22.
This was a game of two halves with the young Wycombe side showing great resilience and character to win the game in the dying seconds. Didcot played well particularly in the second half and will feel they did enough to win the game. As for Wycombe the future looks bright.
Next week a home game against Shipston on Stour
