Chinnor hold on for a vital victory

CHINNOR RFC’s match against Old Elthamians on Saturday (March 4) turned out to be a real ‘battle of the giants’ in a wind-dominated game where both teams fought hard right up to the final whistle.

Photo by Aaron Bayliss

Chinnor had a great start playing with the wind when, after just minutes, Old Elthamians’s dropped the ball allowing Ben Manning to race into the opposition’s 22 metre area. Slick passing along the backs then put Henry Lamont over for a try in the corner. John Bentley converted to give Chinnor a seven point lead. Ten minutes later, Bentley kicked a penalty to extend Chinnor’s lead.

Old Elthamians’s gradually got their act together with some penetrating drives, enabling centre Wilkins to score near the posts with fly half Robinson adding the conversion. Play became fairly even between the teams with both sides converting a penalty; Bentley for Chinnor and White for Old Elthamians’s.

Chinnor used the wind to good effect to pin Old E’s deep in their own half, resulting in two quick scores for Chinnor before the interval. A quick interchange of passes allowed C.J. Osazuwa to crash over for a try converted by Bentley. Then Greg Goodfellow scored a classic scrum half try from a five metre scrum, nipping through the defence and scoring under the posts followed by a Bentley conversion. Chinnor ended the half with a convincing 27 – 10 point lead.

Chinnor now faced the strong wind and Old E’s began to pile on the pressure with their driving mauls. After 10 minutes, centre Golledge carved through a gap to score near the posts with White reducing their arrears with the conversion. Chinnor bounced back again and from a five metre scrum, replacement No 8 Ali Bone broke from the base of the scrum and crashed over for his debut try converted by Bentley. With 15 minutes to go, Chinnor looked to have an unassailable 34 – 17 point lead. However, Old E’s running and recycling tactics put them right back in the game with quick hands putting winger Brown over in the corner to score a try converted by White. Five minutes later, Brown was put away for a 35 metre sprint for his second try converted by White and put Old E’s just three points behind Chinnor.

With 10 minutes to go, Chinnor’s Ali Bone was given a yellow card for a late tackle and Old E’s made the most of their one man advantage. They constantly drove at the Chinnor line but time and time again the visitors’ defence was resolute. The final whistle came with much relief to Chinnor whose bonus point win keeps them in the promotion race.

SOURCE: Contributed by Steve Trenchard