Buckingham 29 High Wycombe 20
By Alan Lane | Tuesday 8th November 2011
Report by Eric Curtis

The break in the league program gave Buckingham the chance to entertain High Wycombe in the Bucks County Cup. Both teams were missing key players either through injury or taking the opportunity to rest those who needed it with the long hard winter grind ahead. Nevertheless this did not detract from an exciting end to end game of rugby in which Buckingham, who included several young players from the academy, turned over a 15-5 deficit at half time to run out winners
29-20.

Wycombe had much the better of the early play taking the lead with a penalty six minutes from the kickoff. Three minutes later they went further ahead driving over from a lineout close to the Buckingham line. The visitors continued to keep Buckingham penned in their own twenty two conceding penalties as they struggled to hold the bigger and heavier Wycombe three quarters.

However they finally weathered the storm and began to make inroads through their young backs. From a penalty, Andy White kicked to the corner, where the ball was won at the lineout, and spun along the line to the other wing for Adam Clarke to score his first senior try after twenty minutes played.

Wycombe came back strongly, with their powerful centres creating a converted try five minutes later. The home side held out until half time though the visitors looked the more comfortable at the break with the score 15-5.

Wycombe started the second half as they finished the first, with an early penalty getting them yards from the home sides line. The ball was scrambled clear only for more desperate defence narrowly averting another score.

A storming run by Tom Amos got Buckingham into the Wycombe half, then a cleaver kick by White put the visitors under pressure and excellent work by the forwards ended with Seth Williams burrowing over to make it 10-15.

Amos continued to trouble the away side with his powerful running, before a kick into space again by White was recycled to Steve Miller on the burst to score, Whites conversion giving Buckingham the lead for the first time.

Over the next fifteen minutes the Wycombe challenge almost evaporated as the fitness of the home side took its toll. The inclusion of Jamie Hartnett in the front row added stability to the scrum, and after a break by Andy Turvey, who had another good game at scrum-half, Hartnett was up in support to twice wrong foot the opposition defenders and score, White again on target 24-15.

Wycombe did manage another try through their powerful backs, but Buckingham had the final say when another drive up field gave the elusive Adam Clarke room to show his pace and score his second try. All in all an excellent victory and a job well done. Buckingham v 1st XV - Sat, 05 Nov 2011