Amersham & Chiltern 1st XV 15 - 16 Old Patesians 1st XV

AMERSHAM & CHILTERN MISS OUT ON VICTORY BY A SINGLE POINT

Amersham & Chiltern 15 vs 16 Old Patesians

Amersham & Chiltern took on Gloucestershire, mid-table, side Old Patesians, last Saturday at Weedon Lane and really should have won this encounter, despite a below par performance in the first half. The home side completely dominated the last quarter of the game, scoring two tries and being held back only by some heroic defence by the visitors from scoring several more. Even so, they missed two penalties and a conversion in the last ten minutes, only one of which had it been successful would have given them victory. As it was, they had to console themselves with a losing bonus point.

On an overcast, but mild day, Chiltern kicked off and it was immediately apparent that the ferocious intensity that was evident in the previous game against Chinnor two weeks ago was missing. Charged down kicks, tamely lost possession, the giving away of silly penalties and not winning a single line-out, put the home side under immense pressure and this told after 12 minutes when the visitors converted a penalty for a 3 – 0 lead. This was repeated on 25 and 30 minutes, increasing Old Patesians’ lead to 9 – 0. Chiltern then began to improve and, despite losing flanker, Wayne Wilson to the sin-bin, forced a penalty of their own to reduce the lead to 9 – 3 at half time.

The situation of being a man down told at the start of the second half, however, when, after 5 minutes the visitors forced a lineout and then scrum on the Chiltern 5 metre line and their superior numbers helped the Old Patesians’ forwards to drive the Chiltern pack back for a try, superbly converted from wide out, to increase the lead to 16 – 3. Following Wilson’s return to the fray, however, Chiltern became a different side and began to completely dominate in all aspects of the game. Driving runs by forwards and backs saw the home side encamped in the visitor’s half. On 60 minutes gone, Chiltern forced a scrum on the visitor’s 5 metre line. Although Old Patesians heeled the ball, huge pressure by the Chiltern scrum and loose forwards forced a hurried pass back which was knocked on. The ball went loose and centre, Ross Bugden, only needed to pick it up and dot it down, unheeded, for the score. The same player then duly converted, bringing the score back to 16 – 10. With Chiltern now in the ascendancy, the pressure was all on the visitors and 7 minutes later, another scrum and ruck saw the ball moved quickly left to find burly prop, Rhys Cadogan, in space to crash over in the left hand corner. Bugden, unfortunately, was unable to convert, so the score remained at 16 – 15. Despite enormous pressure by the home side, including being held up inches short on several occasions, they were unable to add to this score. Penalties on 77 minutes and 79 minutes were also missed by Bugden, who possibly in a less crucial situation and on a firmer pitch would have slotted them with ease. As it was, Chiltern were left to rue their inability to finish this game off with the final score remaining at 16 – 15 to the visitors at the final whistle.

Next week Amersham & Chiltern play Somerset side, Western Super Mare, away.