Witney arrived for the return fixture lying in 7th place, 7 points and 4 places behind Marlow. The outcome of the reverse fixture at Hailey Road (at the third attempt - an injured referee and bad weather spoiled the first two goes), was disappointing for Marlow, with Witney comfortable winners by 43 – 18. With Witney securing good wins recently over Swindon and Cheltenham, it was certain that Marlow would need to be on good form to get revenge, and to build momentum for our final game next week at home to Coney Hill. Marlow’s squad showed 8 changes following the win against Maidenhead. Prop Tom Kanchanawat, back row forwards Steve hill and Ben Veitch, and three-quarters Alistair Boath, Russ Pearce and Mike Rauchwerger returned; second-row James Knight made his first appearance of the season; and colt George Harjette his senior debut at outside half. There were positional changes too, with flanker Jon Dawe starting at scrum half, George Jafari moving to full back and Miles Noble to inside centre. The heavy grey skies of the morning had given way to a brighter countenance; and as often happen at Riverwoods, the erratic, cool breeze was unable to decide about the direction in which it would blow.

Marlow kicked off, playing towards the Clubhouse. Witney hoofed the ball back and Marlow knocked on giving the visitors a scrum which led to a penalty to the hosts. From the lineout on halfway Marlow showed its intent by moving the ball along the three-quarters and got to the visitors’ 22. Full back George Jafari came into the line and the ball was moved to the right wing and Marlow got to Witney’s 5m line. The ball was moved to the left wing, but a forward pass gave the visitors the chance to clear the danger. After 6 minutes, Witney had chance to take the lead when Marlow was penalised for crossing, but the kick at goal was wide. Four minutes later Jafari fielded a kick-ahead by Witney and ran back. Centre Miles Noble was in support and got close to Witney’s 22, and Marlow was awarded a penalty at the tackle. The attacking opportunity was lost when Witney stole the ball at the lineout, but Marlow continued to take the game to Witney and spent the next 5 minutes or so in the visitors’ 22. Second row James Knight charged from a lineout and was stopped 15 metres out, then scrum half Jon Dawe made another 5 metres. Witney held Marlow up, but a penalty came and Noble’s accurate kick made the score 3 – 0 after 18 minutes.

Witney’s response was rapid and Marlow conceded a penalty close to its 22, but again a relatively straightforward kick at goal was missed. The visitors kept up the pressure and moved the ball quickly to the left from a scrum, and Witney’s left wing beat Marlow’s defence and appeared to be certain to score but was denied a try by Jafari’s superb covering tackle which took man and ball into touch just short of the line. Jafari made a long kick from the lineout, centre Mike Rauchwerger ran to Witney’s 10m line, and then the pack took over and got to the 22. A penalty gave Marlow a 5m lineout, no. 8 Harry Rodger took the ball at the tail, and flanker Jonny Wolfe scored the first try of the afternoon, with Noble’s conversion extending Marlow’s lead to 10 – 0 after 27 minutes. A penalty to the visitors led to a lineout at Marlow’s 22, but Dawe broke away from the following scrum and flanker Ben Veitch got as far as Witney’s 10m line. Rodger took play on, but Witney picked up a loose pass and turned defence into attack. After a period of pressure in the hosts’ 22, the ball was moved back and forth across the pitch and Witney’s no. 7 scored a smart try to the right of the posts to cut Marlow’s lead to 10 - 5 after 35 minutes. Marlow came straight back from the restart and Noble got to within 5 metres of the line, but no score game and the half time whistle came after 41 minutes.

The second half started badly for Marlow. Knight was tackled in the air as he caught Witney’s restart, but play was allowed to continue. A loose ball at a scrum was hacked ahead and the visitors’ scrum half beat the turning defence to the ball and scored under the posts to put Witney in the lead for the first time by 10 – 12 after 42 minutes. A minute later, a penalty gave Witney a lineout 5 metres inside Marlow’s half, but Rodger stole the ball and Marlow got 2 penalties in quick succession. Second row Chris Clarke charged and the hosts got a 5m scrum. Rodger picked up then Noble and Rauchwerger ran at the defence. Another 5m scrum came but Witney won possession and kicked ahead. Jafari’s catch was clean and he ran back and passed to Noble, who was floored by an illegal tackle which resulted in a penalty for Marlow and a yellow card for Witney’s left wing. Marlow pressed, but in spite of the extra man could not breach the visitors’ defence and Witney broke away and got to the hosts’ 22. Witney won the ball at Marlow’s scrum and moved the ball to the left and scored an unconverted try to extend the lead to 10 – 17 after 59 minutes.

Having conceded 17 points without a response, Marlow regrouped and launched a series of attacks. Rodger broke down the left from a scrum and a penalty gave the hosts a 5m lineout. Rodger took the ball and the pack drove but lost possession and Witney kicked down field. Jafari caught the ball inside Witney’s half and put Rauchwerger away. The centre handed off the first would-be tackler and then beat the second one for pace before passing to Noble who was outside him on the left. Noble also beat two men on his way to the line and ran around behind the posts to score an excellent try. The conversion brought Marlow back on terms at 17 – 17 after 64 minutes. Four minutes later a penalty from 25 metres put Marlow back in front at 20 - 17. Seven minutes later, Witney moved the ball along the line to the right and wing Matt Saunders intercepted and was clean away only to be brought back by the referee for an offence that had occurred on the other side of the pitch at least a minute earlier.

From the scrum, Witney charged for the line, but knocked on and Marlow got a scrum. The relieving kick was long but didn’t find touch and Witney came back. Marlow held out for a further 3 minutes, but prop Tom Kanchanawat was then shown a yellow card for repeated infringements. Witney took the option of a 5m penalty scrum and this led to a try in the corner which gave the visitors a bonus point and the lead by 20 – 22 after 84 minutes. The game appeared to be lost, but Marlow but Marlow attacked again through Noble and outside half George Harjette and won a penalty 30 metres out. Noble’s kick was short and that proved to be Marlow’s last chance to take the victory.

An exciting and open game and a very creditable performance by Marlow given the number of changes of personnel and position. Both Maidenhead and Salisbury secured 5 points so Maidenhead’s lead is still 1 point. Marlow keeps third place, 2 points ahead of Swindon and Cheltenham and 3 ahead of Witney. At the other end of the table, Swanage & Wareham won again, as did Bletchley, while Abbey lost, so the race to avoid being the third team to be relegated is still very close. Marlow finishes its season next week at home to Coney Hill, which is where we started last September.

Marlow Team:-

Tom Kanchanawat, Conor Mitchell, Mike Davey (Fe'ao Vunipola), James Knight, Chris Clarke, Ben Veitch, Jonny Wolfe, Harry Rodger; Jon Dawe, George Harjette, Russ Pearce (Alistair Boath), Miles Noble, Mike Rauchwerger, Matt Saunders, George Jafari (captain).

Unused Replacement: - Steve Hill

Scorers: - Tries: - Wolfe, Noble. Conversions: - Noble (2). Penalties: - Noble (2)

Yellow card:- Kanchanawat.

Referee: - Mr Ed Gardner, Buckinghamshire Society.

Match Report by Gwyn Stone