Last-gasp try condemns Hawks to fourth successive defeat

IT was late heartbreak for Henley Hawks as an injury time try from Oundle’s Shay Kerry gave the visitors victory and subjected the home side to a fourth straight defeat in National 2 East last Saturday.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Henley as they fought hard throughout, but with a 10-point advantage heading into the final 10 minutes of the game, they will be deeply frustrated not to have seen the match out. However, they come away from the contest with another two points for their efforts.

It was the visitors who started the game on the front foot and deservedly took the lead on six minutes when their ever present number eight Anthony Maka powered his way over from close range. Lawrence Rayner added the extras and the Hawks had slipped behind 7-0.

However, with a new look backline featuring youngsters Matt Cooke and Oscar Busby beginning to make inroads in the visitors’ defence, Henley slowly clawed back the initiative.

A break from George Wood deep inside his own 22 saw the centre dodge past numerous tackles to offload to Will Baildon to dot down by the posts for a try of the season contender. Baildon converted his own try and the game was level at 7-7.

The Hawks had their tails up and were now finding gaps in the Oundle defence. Led by captain Spencer Hayhow, who had a brilliant game, Henley went ahead on 30 minutes when a floated pass from Baildon found Leo Webb out wide, and he did well to manoeuvre himself into a scoring position to cross the whitewash. Baildon’s conversion was narrowly wide, but Henley had their noses in front at 12-7. With Hayhow and Will Benning making hard yards through the middle of the pitch, Henley were back on the attack and with a kickable penalty advantage, didn’t hesitate to take the three points on offer. With Baildon’s kick sailing through the uprights, the home side pulled further ahead at 15-7 with five minutes of the half remaining.

In what has become an irritating habit of late, Henley have too often gifted their opposition tries just before the half-time whistle and it happened again on Saturday when Maka secured his second of the game when he went through the Hawks defence far too easily. Rayner converted but it was Henley who held a narrow 15-14 lead at the break.

That lead was extended further just a minute after the restart when Hayhow peeled his way off the back of a driving maul to power his way over for a great solo effort. Baildon added the extras and Henley had built daylight on the scoreboard at 22-14.

The Hawks had a good opportunity to extend their lead further when a break from Cooke into the opposition half saw the fullback’s pass knocked on by Wood, which would have given him a great shot at the line.

As it was, the away side quickly punished Henley for their wastefulness when wing Rian Hamilton managed to find space out wide to sprint for the line to dot down. Rayner was off target with his conversion, but it was game on at 22-19.

Wood soon made amends for his earlier slip with a quarter of the game remaining. Another fine break by the elusive centre into the Oundle 22 saw him offload to Baildon to cross for his second of the match. It was, crucially, Henley’s try bonus point as well, and with Baildon converting, took his tally to 19 points for the afternoon. Heading into the final 10 minutes, the physicality and directness of the visitors’ play was beginning to take its toll on a fatigued Henley side. Wing Harry Winch secured Oundle’s try bonus point when he glided through the middle of a tired-looking Hawks defence to make it 29-26, and the game was now up for grabs.

Despite trying to get a foothold in the opposition half, Henley gave away a late penalty which meant the visitors had another opportunity to pin the Hawks deep into their own 22. Working their way patiently through the phases, second row Kerry spotted a gap in the Hawks’ defensive line to cross for the game-winning score beneath the posts.

Henley Hawks: Cooke, Allen (Titchener, 22 mins), Wood, Webb, Busby, Baildon, O White, Collins, Hayhow, Fakatou (Adablah, 37 mins), Elsey (Kinniburgh, 72 mins), Lunnon, Goodison (Taylor, 61 mins), Noone (White, 53 mins), Benning. Replacements: Kinniburgh, Adablah (Fakatou, 53 mins), Taylor, S White, Titchener.