Bracknell Throw Up Strong Defensive Display at Reading Abbey Festival

Taking their time to get up to speed they lost their opening game against Wallingford by a single try. The defeat marked the end of a 12 match unbeaten streak going right back to the first round of the Quinns Quarter Finals when the ‘Green Peas’ lost to Reeds.

Bizarrely Sunday’s game ended in almost exactly the same manner as their previous defeat when, in the last play of the game, Bracknell’s Michael O’Donoghue scored what appeared to be a dramatic equaliser, only for the referee to deem that the ball had not been touched down correctly.

Where was the video referee when Bracknell needed him?

Your intrepid reporter turned to Bracknell’s very own ‘Man with the Cam’, Mark Forth, for evidence of a try. Unfortunately Mark had missed all the action after being distracted, possibly by the sight of Coach Studd ambling towards him with an odd look about him that spelt disaster for his shoes. Indeed the grainy footage suggests that Mr Studd was in the process of scoring his very own ‘touch down’ at that very moment!

The boys also got their early start out of their system and proceeded to put together some really good rugby, eventually winning their three remaining games convincingly and, most impressively, without conceding another try. Indeed a try count at the end of the day of 10 for and only 1 against was a quite remarkable effort.

Redingensians were dispatched with four tries, one each from Will Field, Harry Wilson (making his A team debut), Michael Dykes and Paul Studd. Up next were the hosts, Reading Abbey, who put up a strong performance, but by now Bracknell were full of confidence and setting their stall out with some great defensive work. Eventually ‘The Peas’ managed to close the game out with two tries from Michael O’Donoghue.

The last game of the day saw Bracknell put in another dominant display, winning against Aylesbury with tries from Michael O’Donoghue, Douglas McMurray, Michael Dykes and Will Field. All this without their talisman Paul Studd who missed the final match with a knee injury picked up in the previous game. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

At the end the team had finished second in their group and Bracknell RFC were narrowly beaten to the overall title (which was won by the club which earned the most points across all the age groups) by Wallingford RFC. The difference was only two points.

Chris Warner expressed his delight with the team’s performance after their disappointing start. “It was amazing to watch by the end. Seeing the ball being presented from rucks and mauls and try’s being scored was a joy to behold!”

Well done to everyone.