Henley Hawks 17  Shelford 21

Shelford continued their excellent start to 2012 with a fine win at promotion hopefuls Henley Hawks. The visitors produced arguably their best performance of the season with a fantastic team display and came away from Dry Leas as worthy winners.

Shelford started positively working their way upfield with successive penalties enabling fly half Harry Owens to take the first points.  They continued taking the game to Henley and some superb interplay between Bucs and Naca enabled winger Jay Williams to cross the line. Owens added the extras making the score 0 10.  A further Shelford penalty increased their lead. Henley fought back, making their first foray into the visitor's 22 on the 25 minute mark. They gained a penalty, kicked for the corner and from the line out, prop Jim Hadfield drove over for the home team's first score. The conversion was missed.  Henley continued to exert pressure leading up to half time and were rewarded with a try for scrum half James Gaunt in the 39th minute bringing the score at the break to 10 13.

Shelford came out for the second half with the same intensity and took the first points with a well struck penalty from Owens. 5 minutes later, they extended their lead when some slick offloading put flyer Naca in at the corner bringing the score to 10 21. The visitors were unable to make the extra man count when the Henley scrum half was sent to the sin bin but maintained pressure for large periods in the Henley half frustrating the home team. With less than 5 minutes remaining Henley eventually breached the Shelford defence for the first time in the half as full back Tom Allen crossed over in the corner. James Comben slotted the conversion bringing the hosts to within 4 points. However it was too little too late as the excellent Shelford defence held firm.

This fourth win in a row has lifted Shelford up to 8th place and promises much for the remainder of the season.