| A hat-trick from Fijian centre Peceli Nacamavuto brought Reading
an unexpected point against top of the table Chinnor. Fellow countryman Ledua Jope
and Kameli Vuadreu scored the other tries while skipper Alex Wallace added two
conversions and a penalty. Wallace did, indeed, have the opportunity to win the game
with a 74th minute conversion, although he would have been helped had Nacamavuto
touched down under the posts rather than wider out. The kick went wide and it was a
measure of Reading’s performance that the team were disappointed with a draw. |
| Although the backs scored four of the tries it was in the forwards that
the hard graft was done. With props Andy Grierson (unavailable) and Richard Pryor
(injured) out new tight head prop Ricky Rees had to play out of position on the loose
head. Both he and Axel Rees did well to support Paul Fisher in the scrums and with
locks Ben Hughes and Sean Kenneally and back rowers Matt Davies, Simon Kalafusz and
Ledua Jope at the top of their games Reading took the game to their visitors. |
| Reading put their marker down in the 3rd minute when Simon Dyson’s chip
down the blind side set up a five metre scrum from which Jope charged over. Chinnor
then took over and ex-Reading fly half James Cathcart was just short with a 45 metre
penalty. However, her did manage to convert a 12th minute try from impressive winger
Phil Huxford to put the visitors in the lead. |
| Reading found themselves having to defend against some good Chinnor
attacking and it was no surprise when a penalty from Cathcart and a try from Pip
Seymour gave the visitors a ten point lead. Then Nacamavuto brought his side back
into the game with an opportunist try, intercepting a Chinnor pass and racing 45
metres for the score, which Wallace converted. Just before half time, however, the
visitors stretched their lead again, with Cathcart converting a try from Andy
McGuire. |
| Within minutes of the re-start Cathcart kicked another penalty to give
the league leaders a healthy thirteen point lead. But Reading came back at once and,
inevitably, Nacamavuto was involved as he caught a kick ahead and good running from
Kam Vuadreu set Naca up for his second try (47 mins). Four minutes later more good
running from deep and a 50 yard break from Wallace set up a penalty in front of the
posts. Wallace kicked this and also converted a try from Vuadreu to give the Green
machine an unexpected 27-25 lead. |
| Chinnor showed their class and put together a sweeping movement, going
from side to side to create a gap for substitute winger Jaike Carter to score.
Cathcart’s conversion put his side five points to the good but, with Chinnor prop
Robert Baker yellow carded for a professional foul, Nacamavuto finished off a good
passing movement to touch down with a spectacular dive. |
| As coach Jason Dance commented, “it was a fantastic come-back.
Chinnor were hanging on at the end.” |
| READING: Alex Wallace (capt); Taniela Ratu, Kameli Vuadreu,
Peceli Nacamavuto, Ben Taylor; Billy Bragg, Simon Dyson; Axel Rees, Paul Fisher,
Ricky Rees, Ben Hughes, Sean Kenneally, Matt Davies, Simon Kalafusz, Ledua Jope.
Subs not used: Justin Coleman, Tim Laverye, Andrew Tweedie. |
| FACTFILE: 3 Mins Jope try (5-0), 12 mins Huxford try,
Cathcart con (5-7), 27 mins Cathcart pen (5-10), 30 mins Seymour try (5-15),
34 mins Nacamavuto try, Wallace con (12-15), 39 mins Oxley try,
Cathcart con (12-22), 43 mins Cathcart pen (12-25), 47 mins Nacamavuto try
(17-25), 51 mins Wallace pen (20-25), 57 mins Vuadreu try, Wallace con (27-25),
68 mins Carter try, Cathcart con (27-32), 74 mins Nacamavuto try (32-32). |
| Reading scores: Tries: Nacamavuto (3), Vuadreu, Jope
Cons: Wallace (2) Pen: Wallace (1) |
| Ted Goodhew
|