The one good thing about the rain was that it made the underfoot conditions a little easier than last week’s run out on something akin to concrete. And it was last week’s practice matches that were to come home to roost for Phoenix as the injuries that they sustained meant that a much depleted side had to take to the field against their newly promoted partners Didcot.

The downside of the rain however was that it made handling a lottery and, in such a tight game, errors were going to play a huge part.

Didcot definitely started the brighter side as the Phoenix team, with many playing out of position, got to grips with their reshuffled formation and Phoenix soon found themselves 10 points to nil down. They could definitely count themselves a trifle unfortunate as a blatant knock on was missed when the ref was unsighted for one try and the TMO might have overruled a second when the grounding appeared to be just short of the line. Definitely no sour grapes though, the ref called what he could see, Didcot were firmly on the offensive and, but for some excellent work in defence by James Willis, Stephen Hyland and Captain Tom Porter, they could have scored more.
In seasons gone by, this could have signalled an early capitulation for Phoenix, but the spirit in the club, buoyed by last season’s excellent campaign, is riding high and a try and a penalty by J Townsend had them right back in the game.

As the first half drew to a close, Phoenix had started to retain more possession and pose more of a threat. Ill-discipline at the breakdown however, gifted Didcot 3 points and the teams swapped tries in the dying minutes to leave Didcot 5 points to the good at half time. The Phoenix score coming from a neat little box kick from scrum half Alex Walsh, well chased by Joe Atherton to put pressure on the full back, leaving the skipper T Porter to dab down for the try.

As the rain continued, the second half began in much the same way as the first ended with both sides very evenly matched. An early try for Didcot, when a speculative long pass bounced kindly for the winger, wrong footing the Phoenix defence was responded to by the move and try of the game. Finding pace he hasn’t seen since his teens, Fly Half Paul Byrne accelerated through a gap way too small for his frame, delayed his pass to perfection to find Jason Townsend, who is in the form of his life, running an excellent line to beat a couple of defenders and score between the posts.

At this point, the game really could have gone either way, but Phoenix’s injury hit side suffered another blow as centre Dave McMillan was carried off with a hamstring tear leaving the back line exposed. Didcot exploited the weakness and when confusion from a 22 drop out gifted another try to Didcot in the last 5 minutes, there was no way back for Phoenix.

A very exciting game to watch, with two evenly matched sides playing in an excellent spirit. Didcot’s scrummaging certainly put Phoenix under pressure in the set piece, but the Phoenix play at the breakdown definitely counteracted it. If it hadn’t been for the slow start, Phoenix may well have edged the game. Given the injury list and the lack of availability for the season’s opener, Phoenix can be very pleased with their initial encounter, as this was effectively last season’s 2nd XV giving Didcot’s 1st XV a run for their money. Next week sees the Phoenix 1st XV away to local rivals Drifters. Let’s hope some of the injuries clear up in time for what will be another interesting encounter.

Written by Ken Nathan.