Sat 9 Nov 2024, 14:30
Henley III 72 Shire Hall 3
It felt like Groundhog Day all over as Shire took on Henley 3rds. The last time the two sides met was three seasons ago when Shire turned up with less than a full side and consequently were on the end of a serious drubbing. This season the same problems faced Shire. A flood of unavailable players meant Shire could only muster 12 players for this fixture and to make matters worse, Neil Evans had to pick up Arun Luis, making them miss the first fifteen minutes of the game. Therefore only 10 players started the game whilst Henley had a full fifteen. With a five man advantage, it was not long before Henley found the space to cross the whitewash. In fact, it took only 10 minutes for Henley to achieve their try bonus point. With the score at 29 – 0, Neil and Arun both arrived, and this saw Shire start to stem the tide. Good carries from the returning Max Davies, Gwyn Robins, Laurie Moss and Ollie Homan-Green meant Shire could play some decent rugby but the Henley defence was uncompromising. Shire did actually get on the scoresheet when Matt Margot landed a towering penalty to ensure they didn’t go home scoreless. A flood of further tries from Henley saw the scoreline accelerate to 60 points.
Half Time Score: Henley III 60 Shire Hall 3
Effectively the game had ended as a contest The second half saw periods of play that were pleasing for Shire but ultimately the speed of the Henley backs was the real difference. On the hour though, a serious injury to a Henley player caused the game to be ended with the agreement of both captains and coaches. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Somehow Shire need players to commit to games on a more regular basis or else this scenario at Henley will repeat itself. Henley are top of the league for a reason and should by rights be playing in a higher league, but they need their 2nd XV to get promoted as the regulations do not allow two teams from the same club to compete in the same league. Well done, though, to all those players who turned out – they certainly displayed commitment and effort, but this was not their day.
Final Score: Henley III 72 Shire Hall 3
Penalty Goal: Matt Margot
MOTM: Laurie Moss – always a threat going forward and a solid defensive shift.
DOTD: Not Awarded
