Saturday 18th April

SOUTH WEST 2 EAST

Salisbury 45 - Henley Wanderers 42

The Henley Wanderers saved the best to last as they narrowly lost to Salisbury in their last game of the season having drawn 13 points apiece in late November. After what has been the most challenging of seasons which has seen them finish in last place in the league, the Wanderers produced a thrilling display which very nearly caught Salisbury out.

With the ground as hard as rock, Salisbury kicked off and placed the Wanderers immediately under pressure and it was only a bare 5 minutes into the game when Salisbury picked up a penalty which their full back, Tom Pottage slotted between the posts. Another 5 minutes and it was the same again.  As the Wanderers now trailed by 6 points, it was clear that Pottage would punish them all day long if they continued to be penalised.

The ground started to take its toll and several Salisbury players showed signs of injury problems before Wanderers No. 8, Andy Downing, was forced off with a blood injury to be replaced temporarily by Luke Buckingham. This was not a day for the Wanderers to concede however and after some formidable attacks on the Salisbury line, Wanderers flanker, Mark Venner, having celebrated his 40th birthday earlier in the week, forced over the line. With a cleverly crafted kick, Charlie Saward at fly half put the Wanderers ahead by 7 – 6.

A high tackle on Wanderers’ hooker, Warren Higgins, gave Saward another penalty chance and the Wanderers went ahead by 10 – 6. Unfortunately, Downing was forced to stay off the field and Buckingham took his place permanently on the flank and produced an excellent game in this position. The Wanderers were then dealt another blow almost immediately as scrum half, Mark Metcalfe was forced to leave the field through injury with Simon Dudding ,well up to the task, taking his place

Perhaps by overzealously countering for their lost colleagues, the Wanderers were caught twice offside for which Pottage kicked 3 points and then hit the post. At 10 – 9 the Wanderers certainly had the measure of Salisbury but were then caught napping as Salisbury’s Jonny Campbell-Jones, sailed past the defence to score with Pottage converting. The Wanderers now trailed 16 – 10 as the half time whistle blew.

The Wanderers were dealt yet another blow as Saward was forced to leave the field in the interval which had seen their 8, 9 and 10 injured and now all the replacements were on the field. It could have been a difficult second half but all the Wanderers stepped up and Robin Coackley quickly claimed 3 points from a penalty with a superb long range kick. A Salisbury break put them on top at 21 – 13 and then Higgins took an excellent try which Coackley converted and for a short while the score was 21 – 20 in Salisbury’s favour. A further Salisbury and Wanderers penalty apiece took the score to 23 – 24 against the Wanderers and then they lost Sam Taylor to the sin bin for repeated team offending, handling in the ruck.

The Wanderers the took their eye off the ball for a period of only 8 minutes which saw Salisbury claim 3 tries against them and having been a tight score all game, it was suddenly 45 – 23 but then Wanderers full back, Luke Rosier who had been defending so well fired up and scored a blistering try with a burst down the wing followed by an identical one minutes later. With Coackley’s kicks the score was edging closer at 37 – 45 when after another Rosier break, an offload gave Wanderers’ Captain, Chris Sutton, his chance as he broke through Salisbury’s by now shocked defence to score. Coackley took a drop goal which went wide in his haste to give the Wanderers another chance but in truth time was against them.  The final whistle went with Salisbury the winners but what a spectacle the Wanderers provided nearly spoiling the Salisbury VP’s day out!

The Loddon Brewery Wanderers man of the match was awarded by Head Coach, Nigel Dudding, to the whole team for their gallant efforts as the season comes to a close.