Flavour of youth helps Chinnor Vets to victory (Contributed)
Chinnor Oxen (Vets) XV 22pts v Andover 3rd team 3pts: MATCH REPORT – October 17, 2010.
Fielding a number of changes due to unavailability of a number of vets stalwarts, the Chinnor Oxen borrowed a number of the 4th team players, as their match was cancelled this week. This brought a youthful flavor to the senior team at Chinnor. At one stage fielding the oldest and the youngest player that Chinnor put out this weekend on the same pitch – some 42 years between Bas Corpe and Elliott Bevan (17) and Doug Humphries(59) meant that the opposition were confused as to exactly who they were playing.
Experience and size were definitely on the side of the visitors, which seemed to tell in the first 20 minutes, despite Andover?s pressure and dominance during the first 20 minutes they still only came away with one penalty kick, Tony Howells, Steve Bridges & Lukas Schmidt doing a sterling job in defence to deny a score.
When in possession the ?Veterans? of Chinnor looked masterful, with John Vaughan and Dave Wells forming an experienced and solid 10/12 partnership as a stable platform to launch attacks using the youthful outside centre/wing combination. Indeed, Bas Corpe should have scored a hatful if it hadn’t been for a couple of last minute tap tackles.
Chinnor?s luck came after about half an hour when a kick ahead left Andover’s Full Back with a red face as the ball bounced for him to collect only to bobble between his legs for a speedy Dave Wells to pick up and dot down under the posts, collecting the conversion meant that the Vets went 7 ? 3 ahead. A late penalty goal for Chinnor left the scores 10 ? 3 going in to the break.
The 2nd half saw more of the same with Winger, Jason Lang showing some pace to outsprint Andover?s defence to score in the corner. By this stage the visitors were wondering what they had to do to gain and retain possession as the Chinnor back row were turning the ball over at will, not to mention the hooks against the head taken by Mike Wiltshire in the scrum despite conceding a couple of stones per man.
Try of the match came in the 2nd half when Messers Vaughan and Wells worked their magic in the mid field to send the ball out to Bas Corpe who using his speed and footwork to either dummy or outpace pretty much the whole of the Andover back line to sprint some 60 ?70 metres to score under the posts.
Our thanks go to the ?guests? Elliott Bevan, Bas Corpe, Guy Woodesdon, Lukas Schmidt, Matt Lock, Gordon Fennell & Jason Lang, Rob Atkin, Elliott Bevan, Steve Bridges, Ken Catchpole, Bas Corpe, Tim DeGlanville, Gordon Fennell, Tony Howells, Doug Humphries, Jason Lang, Matt Lock, Kenny Lue, Jeremy Philpott, Dave Ratcliffe, Lukas Schmidt, Craig Smith, John Vaughan, Dave Wells, Mike Wiltshire, Guy Woodeson, Paul Wright
Man of the match: Steve Bridges
