Sat 23 Oct 2021, 15:00
On Saturday 23rd our Wanderers squad traveled to Chinnor to play their second team. With most of the senior players being fit and available to play there were a number of the extended squad available to play.
The Wanderers, therefore, took to what appeared to be quite a narrow pitch with a rather strong side. The core of the side being regular Wanderers and a number of the extended squad, with the backline being experienced and played together on a number of occasions.
Unfortunately, Chinnor started the stronger and were awarded and kicked an early penalty before Wanderers began to find their feet. Chinnor then extended their lead scoring a try and were successful with the kick. Following the kick-off the game became one of sustained pressure by Chinnor on the Wanderers line, however, they were unable to score again and it was following a clearance kit and a chase by Joe Green and Joey Patrick which lead to a number of pick and goes close to the Chinnor line which Matt Dawson successfully crossed and Joey Patrick added the extra 2 points.
Before halftime each team scored again trading tries and conversions with Joe Green scoring the try which Joey Patrick once again converted.
At half there were a number of changes following a recurring injury to our 10 and young Archie Strath, in his first season with Cambridge, taking a knock to the head which resulted in him being sidelined.
The second half continued with most of the play taking place within the middle part of the pitch between the two 22 meter lines with some decisive defense by both sides. With Chinnor starting to tire our Wanderers started to exploit gaps that appeared in the Chinnor line with Euan Rees outpacing his opposite number to cross the line to score, shortly afterward Will Wand was very unlucky to ‘over cook’ a grubber kick through which went dead.
As the game moved into the final 10 minutes there was no let-up in the defense of both sides and following another thumping tackle Ryan Curtis had to leave the field following the reoccurrence of a previous knew injury leaving the Wanderers with 14 players and a number showing signs of the intensity of the defense both sides had endured.
Although the game was played with uncontested scrums and in most cases both sides playing a fair amount of running rugby with around 5 minutes to go Chinnor opted to kick a penalty to extend their lead to 8 points. This was not the last score of the afternoon after a set play the ball was played side to side by the Wanderers backs with their captain Jake Prier appearing on the wing, not for the first time this season, to finish off a move and score what was the last score of the game.
Final Score Chinnor 2’s 27 [ 3T, 3C, 2P] Cambridge Wanderers 24 [4T, 2C]
Cambridge Team
Matt Dawson, Will Priestley, Declan Sully, Matt Waring, Jake Prier, Ryan Curtis, Will Ramply, Archie Strath, Thomas Powell, Marc Koteczky, Joe Green, Will Wand, Jacob Weighman, Euan Rees, Joey Patrick.
Finishers: Joe Johnson, Kieran Shave
Man of the Match: Ryan Curtis
