Sat 6 Nov 2021
Wycombe win away
Wycombe backed up their win against Bicester with another strong performance away at Wallingford. What was probably more impressive is that they did it with 9 players unavailable from last week and travelling with a squad of only 17 players. Congratulations to Harry Knightley and Will Outten who made their first starts of the season and to Aaron Nuthall who made his 1st team debut.
Understandably with new combinations and several players making their first starts of the season it was Wallingford who made the stronger start. The away team took the lead when a charged down clearance bounced kindly and was regathered to score 7-0. It wasn’t long before the home team extended their lead when some good continuity between forwards and backs finally broke through the dogged Wycombe defence to score 12-0. After a nervous start Wycombe looked to have settled and a Mark Croome break took play up to the twenty-two, further carries from Joe Holloman and Joff Forber (who was playing in the centre) took play metres from the try line. The ball was recycled and fed out to Matt Wardle who spotted the space out wide and threw a long pass out to the wing. Seeing the space, the Wallingford fly half tried to intercept the ball and was adjudged to deliberately knock it on, a penalty try was awarded and he was duly sent to the bin for 10 minutes 12-7. Wallingford saw out the yellow card with no alarms and now back to 15 players were awarded a scrum. The ball was put through the hands of the backs and a pass out wide was intercepted by Matt Wardle on the halfway line with no one at home he just had the gas to go over in the corner to score. Unfortunately, in the act of scoring he was injured and was unable to return, James Shuck made the difficult kick, 12-14. This forced a not fully fit Harry Tanner onto the pitch who was returning early from a hamstring injury and who was meant to be on the pitch for no more than twenty minutes.
It was becoming an entertaining game with both sides working hard. Strong work at the breakdown by the home team was rewarded with a penalty which was kicked to touch ten metres from the line. An accurate throw and a good set play put the Wallingford number eight into space and he carried hard close to the line, after several pick and goes the try was scored 19-14. In the dying seconds of the first half more good work from the home team backs put them on the front foot and with space out wide they looked to spin the ball through the hands. Seeing the play develop in front of him the king of intercepts Harry Tanner snaffled the ball as the last pass was made. Unfortunately for him and his dodgy hamstring he had three quarters of the pitch in front of him. He pinned his ears back and by angling his run he just manged to score in the corner, although he got up limping, 19-19 and the half time whistle sounded.
Half Time 19-19
With Harry struggling with his hamstring things got worse when James Mawby was forced off at half time with an Achilles injury meaning with both subs used Harry had to stay on the pitch but was unable to sprint. With an inexperienced front row Wycombe started the second half strongly and a good run from Dan Keir put the away team into the opposition half, but an off the ball incident resulted in George Elliot receiving a yellow card. Down to fourteen men it was Wycombe who troubled the score board next. A well won lineout was fed out to Billy Bickford who had moved to fly half, seeing that his options outside him had been shut down he went down the blind side and passed to James Shuck. With nothing on he broke through several tackles and into the twenty-two where he beat the last defender to score an excellent solo try and then convert from the touchline 19-26. Wallingford exerted some pressure of their own but a turnover on their own line and then a penalty enabled Wycombe to clear their lines. With Billy now at fly half he was using his big boot intelligently to pin the home team into their twenty-two and from one of those kicks Wycombe scored their fifth try. After an intelligent kick into space Wallingford cleared their lines with the ball being gathered by Mark Croome who made a break back into the twenty-two. Seeing the space Billy Bickford kicked out wide towards Harry Tanner, a fortunate bounce saw the ball hit his knee and bounce over the line for Harry to fall on and score 19-33.
Wycombe were controlling the second half and should have scored again when another James Shuck break from the halfway line took him up to the try line. This time instead of beating the last defender he looked to pass but Mark Croome couldn’t quite the gather the ball and it was knocked on. The away team had another opportunity to score when a late tackle was penalised and captain Joff Forber opted to extend the lead beyond 14points, unfortunately the kick was pushed just wide. In the dying seconds of the game a break and then a penalty put Wallingford inside the Wycombe twenty-two. A well won lineout set up a rolling maul which went over to score, 26-33.
Full Time 26-33
This was an excellent win and those players who stepped up for their first game of the season certainly took their chance. With Mawby and Wardle injured an inexperienced team controlled the majority of the second half and came away with a well-deserved victory.
MOM – James Shuck – Another strong performance from the winger who looked dangerous every time he received the ball.
