Strong Second Half Gives Wheatley Victory

For our second game of the season, a friendly against our old rivals, Abingdon. Both sides turned out with 16 players, equally matched from an age perspective (mainly U17s with one or 2 U18s and a couple playing up.

From the kick off, Wheatley were applying good pressure with a series of breaks, rucks, a couple of scrums and lineouts. Then Abingdon break down the right to score.

Abingdon 1st try, penalty try awarded for a high tackle 0 – 7
Wheatley try, Atul powers over, Connor converts, 7 – 7
Abingdon try, conversion missed 7- 12
Wheatley try, Connor starts and finishes a backs move, converts, 14 – 12
Water break
Restart, Abingdon try awarded by ref (our lads thought the ball was dropped), conversion missed, 14 – 17
Another quick try from Abingdon, converted 14 - 24
From a quick tap penalty, Alex goes over for a try (upgraded to penalty try for Abingdon foul play), Connor converts 21 – 24
Half time – everything still to play for
Second half
Wheatley try, Leo puts Connor in for a second try, who also converts 28 – 24. Wheatley turning the screw on a tiring Abingdon
Wheatley try, Alex in for his second score, converted 35 – 24
Wheatley try, Charlie goes on a run through the Abingdon backs, converted 42 – 24
Wheatley apply a lot of pressure on the Abingdon line with no further returns.

For Wheatley, Pat was substituted after a big tackle 20 minutes in, taking a knock to the knee. Adam replaced him on the right wing, only to take a head knock himself in the 70th minute and had to leave the field.
Great team performance from all the Wheatley lads, but mention has to be made for the pack – had the upper hand, especially James Ramsdon in his Wheatley debut as flanker, and Atul who put in a solid 80 minute shift, making some good beaks and some big hits on the Abingdon front row.
In the backs, Greg and Connor linked well, structuring the Wheatley performance. Alex, as ever, had a solid game.
And Leo – with a few big tackles and collected high balls in his own 22, running them back at Abingdon.

Final score, Wheatley Colts 42, Abingdon 24

MOM Alex Downton