Sat 29 Feb 2020, 14:30
Witney looking to get the league action underway were forced to sweep water off the first team pitch as a large crowd attending the Chairman’s lunch hoped they wouldn’t have to watch the game on pitch 4. Luckily the rain held off and the pitch was deemed playable.
Witney had other issues with injuries and unavailability’s had to shuffle the team around with Josh Croft making his first team debut at scrum half and Matt Read a last-minute call up as Simon Morris was ill. Reading Abbey on a decent run themselves weren’t here to make up the numbers and so it proved as with the wind in their face scored first through a try from number 8 Mike Beckly but the conversion was missed 0-5 after 6 minutes. Witney using the wind better but unable to manage Abbey in the scrums struggled to find any rhythm and it wasn’t until the 39th minute when Callum Godfrey charged through to score and Matt Clarke added the extras 7-5 at half time.
The second half Witney now with the wind in their faces knew they had to dig deep, A yellow for Callum Godfrey gave Abbey a penalty which narrowly missed. But on the 55th minute they were awarded another penalty this time scored by Brad Thomas.7-8.
This seemed to really wake Witney up as the scrums that had been lost turned more and more into Witney favour , a penalty try turned down, dubious decision kept the score at 7-8 but the game was being played with Witney on the front foot and it was on the 70th Minute when some neat passing saw the ball go out to Rhys Morgan who ran from 30 yards out missing tackles to score under the post and a conversion by Matt Clarke saw the score turn to 14-8
Witney saw the game out but couldn’t add to the score.
Abbey picked up a losing bonus point and must have felt they let the game slip away, Witney had 10 players under the age of 25. 8 of them 21 on under . Those who played will have learnt a lot from today’s fixture and it’s a credit to our mini and Junior set up that so many have progressed to senior rugby.
Next week another tough fixture away at Stow RFC your support will be greatly appreciated.
