CHILTERN RUES MISSED PENALTY KICKS IN NARROW LOSS TO REDINGENSIANS

The game was marred by a very serious leg injury sustained by a Chiltern player, ex-Chesham skipper and Bucks County player, Gareth Wehrle, who joined the club from Chesham this season. The game had to be stopped whilst an ambulance was called and then be continued on the adjacent 2nd team pitch, once the game going on there had been relocated. It was the second time this season that this has occurred, the first being an injury in similar circumstances to Chiltern fly-half, Ross Bugden, earlier.

Both sides attacked with pace from the kick-off. Chiltern made inroads at first, but then had to desperately defend an onslaught by the visitors. Defences on both sides were strong and eminently courageous, though Chiltern had maybe the best chance to go ahead with two penalty kicks at goal taken by Craig Burgess, kicks that he would normally have expected to convert, but on this occasion, sadly for the home side, went wide. Such was the stalemate that the half time whistle was blown with the score at 0 – 0.
The second half continued in a similar vein. Chiltern missed a third relatively kickable penalty attempt at goal after 8 minutes, this time by Matt Gilbert. Then with around 15 minutes gone, Chiltern were penalised at a scrum just inside their own half. The visitors elected to kick long for touch and gained themselves a lineout around ten metres out from the Chiltern line. A clean catch and several drives led to a try for Red’s substitute front row forward, Tomas Owen, converted and a lead of 7 – 0.
Chiltern, to give them credit, came right back and a short time later a charge down the right wing by Tim Lloyd was eventually stopped, but good support and quick recycling led to the ball being moved swiftly along the line to right wing, Sam Portland. In trademark fashion, Sam crashed through the first tackle and then outstripped the defence for a brilliantly taken try. Unfortunately, Gilbert missed the conversion, so the visitors kept the lead at 7 – 5.
Shortly after, with around 15 minutes to go the unfortunate injury to Gareth Wehrle occurred and the game had to be suspended. With the restart on a different pitch, Chiltern lost the slight advantage of the slope that they had on the 1st team pitch and determined defences on both sides ultimately prevented any addition to the score board, leaving Redingensians winners at 7 – 5.

Next week Amersham and Chiltern travel to Somerset to play Weston-super-Mare.