Henley Hawks Match Report

London Welsh 36 - 32 Henley Hawks (HT 15-14)

LONDON WELSH

Tries: Souto 16, Bodilly 40, Breeze 66, McAvoy 75, Williams 79

Conversions: Hodgson 16, 66, 75, 79

Penalties: Hodgson 26

HENLEY

Tries: Lamb 33, 54, Webb 35, Macrae 71

Conversions: Titchener 33, 35, 64

Penalties: Titchener 41, 46

Star Man: Sam Johnson (London Welsh)

Referee: Tom Bird

Attendance: 871

Henley came close to upsetting the form book at Old Deer Park as a late try from scrum-half Hywel Williams helped London Welsh secure a narrow win. The visitors led by ten points with ten minutes remaining but were unable to hang on for the victory.

Henley had never won at ODP before this weekends Round 13 clash. The sides had met 18 times in total with 11 of those games coming in league rugby and one in cup rugby. In league terms welsh had won 8 and lost 3. 

Henley were desperate for a winning coming into this game, having put together an ugly looking run which had seen them winless in 4 games and sitting second bottom on 20 points. The Round 13 clash at ODP could either have seen Welsh pull further away to the safety of mid table, or for the exiles to be drawn back into a lower table battle.

After a cagey opening quarter, Welsh opened the scoring, No.8 Frankie Souto powering over from a 5m scrum. Matt Hodgson converted and added a penalty before the Hawks struck back with two tries in two minutes. Andrew Lamb scored from the back of a rolling maul, before Leo Webb finished a flowing team move direct from the restart, Max Titchener converting both. Moments before half-time London Welsh winger Max Bodilly crossed out wide leaving the game delicately poised at the interval.

Henley started the second period strongly, Titchener kicking two penalties before Lamb grabbed his second, with Titchener again converting. Harry Breeze struck back for Welsh, with Hodgson adding the extras. Yet back came the Hawks, Morgan Macrae grabbing their bonus point score.

But Welsh scored twice in the last five minutes through Osian McAvoy and Williams, with Hodgson converting both to give his side the lead with barely a minute remaining. Welsh won a breakdown penalty from the restart but after some fisticuffs the referee reversed the decision, yet some resolute home defence secured the win.

It was on the day a superb spectacle for all looking on with just under 900 in attendance. Player of the Match went to Sam Johnson in the Welsh frint row, for an excellent and typically agile (for a prop) all round performance.

Welsh move on next weekend to Round 14 and a trip.to table toppers Old Albanian; who welsh lost to.in the last minute of the reverse fixture at ODP in September.