Following last weeks bone crunching 0-0 draw against local rivals Coney Hill, Cheltenham’s hopes of bouncing back were dashed with a 29-17 defeat away at Reading Abbey, and in the process slipped to 3rd in the South West 1 East league table Writes Derek M Clifford. Cheltenham started the game with a stiff wind at their backs, and opened the scoring inside 2 minutes with Skipper Charles Daniell darting over from short range for a unconverted try. From the restart Cheltenham’s cause was hindered when they lost the dependable prop Steve Moore with a bad leg injury causing a rethink with no front row replacements on the bench. Abbey soon utilized this reshuffle when the diminutive winger Gavin Dampies caught the Cheltenham defence on the back foot for a fine try with the boot of Jack Parsons converting.
However Cheltenham’s replacement Tim Acheson was on hand to score a try in the corner after 16 minutes with Josh Herbert adding the extras. As the game continued with Abbey having the lion share of the ball it was not long before Abbey retook the lead when Skipper Keith Wilkinson crossed the whitewash for the try with Parsons kicking the conversion .Deep into time added on Abbey extended their lead to 19-12 when Tom Waterhouse scored a unconverted try .As the game ebbed and flowed for the first 20 minutes of the second half with neither side threatening to score, until the deadlock was broken when Parsons landed a 40 penalty in the 64th minute to extend the Home lead to 22-12.From the restart Abbey continued to dominate the proceedings ,and in the 75 minute after a ghosting run from Dampies the ball was recycled at speed to Waterhouse who grabbed his 2nd try with the dependable boot of Parsons completing the Abbey scoring .Cheltenham rallied at the end and prop come hooker John Bryant crossed for a unconverted consolation try at the death as Abbey grabbed the points to move away from the bottom half of the table and Cheltenham slipped to their 5 th defeat of the season.
Cheltenham: Moore (Acheson 5), Bryant, Leonards-Walters, Milne, Liebrandt, Griffin, Lait, Daniell capt, Graham (Hill 75), Hough, Morris, Jones (Meadows 54), Whitney, Herbert, Delbrooke-Jones.
Reading Abbey: Waite, Holden, Mollett (Charleton 76), Wilkinson capt, Allinson, Mutephfa, Kerr (Gingrell 77), Willis, Heath, Butcher, Dampies, (Pawlett 78), Ross, Waterhouse, Gingell, Parsons.
Referee, Steve Hardwidge Berkshire Society
Star men Charles Daniell Cheltenham and Tom Waterhouse Reading Abbey .
With kind regards Derek M Clifford .
Beren scored the last try not me. I’ll let you off though Derek, we do look similar!