RUGBY UNION: Henley's hopes hit by setback (From The Oxford Times)

RUGBY UNION: Henley's hopes hit by setback

10:00am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Rugby By Ed Mezzetti

Henley Hawks 17, Shelford 21

IT was simply too little, too late as Henley Hawks saw their National 2 South promotion hopes dented by this home defeat.

The hosts did not play well for long enough to really merit a victory, but almost managed to sneak it at the death.

This would have been harsh on Shelford, who deserved more than the two tries they scored and had the game’s outstanding players in No 8 Aki Lea, centre Pecell Nacamavuto and wing Taniels Bakoso.

Shelford were captained by hooker Nigel Conroy, who was a late withdrawal from Cambridge University’s Varsity Match side after his course was ruled ineligible.

Henley fell behind to a ninth-minute penalty from Shelford fly half Harry Owens.

And they were soon exposed on their right flank by a slick move that saw wing Jay Williams motor in for a try, converted by Owens.

Henley received a major let-off on 20 minutes when Lea dropped the ball with the line at his mercy after Williams fielded Owens’s cross kick.

Shelford looked increasingly confident and went 13-0 ahead via Owens’s penalty.

Hawks hit back when prop Jim Hadfield was driven over on 28 minutes after Shelford appeared to have repelled the initial surge.

Henley reduced the deficit just before the break with a well-rehearsed move that saw scrum half James Gaunt dive over in the corner.

It could have been even better in stoppage time when Hawks twice opted for scrums from penalties inside the Shelford 22, but a spilled ball ended their hopes.

The visitors regained their superiority at the start of the second half and Owens kicked a penalty on 48 minutes.

Shelford struck again for 21-10 with a try on the left from Nacamavuto after Bakoso’s excellent off-load and Gaunt was sin-binned for dissent.

Two long punts from fly half James Comben gave Henley hope.

Hawks, for whom wing Christoph Bart shone, managed some pressure in the final ten minutes and had a lifeline when full back Tom Allen muscled over on the left, Comben converting.

This inspired them to their best period of the match.

Centre Ali James went close late on with a powerful run, but knocked on.

Shelford’s resulting scrum was going backwards, but the impressive Lea powered 30 yards up field and his side held for the win.

Henley Hawks: Allen (capt), Bart, Wells, James, Baggett (Andre 47), Comben, Gaunt, Milford-Scott (Hepburn 55), Church, Hadfield (Penny 49), P Elder, Winterbottom, Payne, Downing (Crossland 49), Woodward. Rep not used: Haynes.

Referee: N Williams (RFU).

Henley man-of-the-match: Bart.