Visitors struggle to contain Buckingham front row

HENLEY 2nds, who were hit with late withdrawals due to illness, lost their final Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern North match of the year at Buckingham last Saturday.

Buckingham kicked off the game and started brightly. Their front row gave the Henley front row a torrid time in the scrum while their forwards backed it up with powerful carries with two quick scores not allowing Henley to settle.

Eventually the visitors were able to put a couple of phases together, Jacob Marks and Nelly Kinniburgh with some strong carries. Oliver kicked a good penalty touch to take Henley within 10 metres.

The line-out functioned well, allowing Kinniburgh to break off the maul and crash over to reduce the score to 14-5. This was as good as it got for Henley as desperate defence showed a level commitment to keep the relentless pressure that Buckingham built away.

Rhyan Scott Young, showed aggression to be able hit rucks and tackle to make it hard for the home side to settle. At half-time the hosts led 17-5.

The second half was much of the same, everything Henley tried to do to get going just did not go their way. Buckingham were impressive on the front foot and punished them.

Henley did make it into the red zone a couple of times, but the last pass didn’t go to hand.

Kinniburgh made a 40-metre break from his five metre line, one of the few highlights. A couple of injuries hampered Henley, but it took nothing away from the impressive Buckingham team that pounced on the opportunities to give themselves a comfortable victory.