Henley roar back in cup cliff-hanger

From the archive, first published Tuesday 25th Mar 2003.

David Charles Oxfordshire Cup: Chinnor's hopes of reaching the final for the fifth time in six years were dashed when Henley's second string staged an astonishing second-half comeback to win a pulsating semi-final 23-17 at Dry Leas on Sunday.

At half-time, holders Chinnor looked to be cruising to victory as they led 17-3, with their heavier pack controlling the set scrums and making inroads with driving mauls.

The turning point came early in the second half when Chinnor No 8 Paul Hennessy was despatched to the sin-bin. They also lost prop Mark Weekes-Pearson and fly half Darren Oxley through injury.

The Hawks forwards took advantage of this to dominate the rucks and mauls, and with the lively Spike Chandler moving to scrum half from full back, they started to open up the Chinnor defence as it visibly tired.

The visitors had rocked Henley after 13 minutes when flanker Dave Seymour seized the ball at a five-metre scrum and dropped over the line.

Troye Hunter narrowly missed the conversion, as he did two other kicks - a conversion and a penalty - which eventually had an important bearing on the result.

Henley were shell-shocked when flanker Tom Johnson collected a clearance kick on his own ten-metre line and sliced through the defence to cross for a try 60 metres later.

Chinnor's new kicker Manuel Rodriguez shaved a post with an attempted penalty before their most penetrative runner, Charlie Oyebade, followed up and caught a high bouncing ball to register his side's third try, which Rodriguez converted.

Henley, who had been limited to a penalty goal from Chandler, were again on the defensive at the start of the second half.

But with Hennessy's removal, their back row of Sean Hardy, Matt Harding and Ian Gibbons began to have more space to develop attacks.

Chandler gave Brett Hopcroft the chance to round the defence and score halfway out, allowing the scrum half to add the points.

After a concentrated bout of driving by the forwards, Henley flanker Hardy found a hole in midfield for a try. Chandler converted to level the scores.

The Hawks kept up the pressure and Chandler's penalty put his side in front for the first time.

Victory for the Alliance was sealed by the sweetest of drop goals from 40 metres by fly-half Phil Osman.

Chinnor had one last chance to win the game when Oyebade broke from his own 22, only to be caught 60 metres later by Hopcroft.

Henley, who last won the cup two years ago, now face Oxford Harlequins in the final at Iffley Road on Sunday, April 6 (3.30pm).

Henley: Chandler, Knight, Deering, Batty, Hopcroft, Osman, Gardner, Cooke, Nicholas, Trogen, Glossop (capt), Coke, Hardy, Gibbons, Harding.

Chinnor: Cawston, Simpson, Hunter, Rodriguez, Oyebade, Oxley, Phillips (capt), Matthews, Whelan, Weeks-Pearson, Borgnis, Milburn, Johnson, Seymour, Hennessy.

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