Henley 3's just one match away from the perfect record

Henley 3's 60-7 Reading 2's 

By David Lewis

And so, to the last home game of the season, with Henley 3’s against Reading 2’s.  With Henley in an unassailable position at the top of the league and Reading lying fourth, it was still a game to be won.  Henley had won handsomely away to Reading before back in December but still had every intention of remaining unbeaten so far, this season.

Henley have scored within the first minutes in most of their games to date and it was Ollie Portch in the centre who claimed the first points with the conversion going wide. No.8 Ollie Roullier bagged the next points with Lucas Brathwaite, a welcome addition to the team at fly-half converting.  At 17-0 within five minutes, Reading were clearly already on the back foot.

Reading were strong in their pack but not strong enough to withhold the next Henley try from prop forward, Jim Hadfield, not only a stalwart of the team but also captain on the day.  Next up was Portch again for Henley with a similar burst through reading’s defence to his first try of the game.  The rout was well under way, but it would not be fair to Reading to state that they fought back as well as they could but simply could not stop the relentless attacking rugby of Henley.

As half-time approached, flanker Josh Butler score not one but two tries within four minutes, both of which were converted by Brathwaite. The half-time score now lay at 36 points to nil.

Henley’s first points in the second half came promptly from Roullier again, with Brathwaite, adding both kicks.  Reading remained determined to at least get some points on the board and whilst Henley were pushed back for a period by the Reading pack, they managed to forge over and take, with the kick seven points. The score now stood at 43 -7 in henley’s favour.

Henley’s next score came from the seasoned Luke Meldon, still new to the team and coming off the bench to bolster the Henley pack.  With a well worked try, Meldon was through, claiming his first points for the team.  By now, Reading were truly beaten and with a further try by Roullier, making it his hat-trick, the game was over with Henley finishing at 60 points to 7.

With one game left, in two weeks’ time against Bracknell 3’s away, Henley will have dominated throughout this season, as they head for the season’s break.