Three On The Trot For Chinnor Rugby Firsts

SCORE; Chinnor 41 – Coney Hill 22
photo: Darren Oxley shrugs off a tackle to score a try- MATCH REPORT
IT was not until the final stages of the game that Chinnor were able to pull away from a spirited Coney Hill. Chinnor pressurised the Coney Hill line on numerous occasions but ran out of patience allowing the visitors back into the game.
Indeed it was very much a see-saw sequence of scoring until the final quarter when Chinnor pulled away. Chinnor opened the scoring in the third minute via a James Cathcart penalty. Two minutes later a Rory Baker penalty put the visitors on level terms. Another Cathcart penalty and conversion from a try by No.8, Ed Rixon resulting from a powerful Chinnor scrum where the visitors were shunted back over their line gave Chinnor a 10 point cushion.
Coney Hill quickly reduced the deficit when Craig Overthrow finished off a slick threequarter move to score under the posts. Baker added the extra points. Another Cathcart penalty and a fine solo effort from Darren Oxley, when he picked up a loose pass and cut back across a static defence and force his way over in the corner gave Chinnor an 11point lead at the interval.
It was all Coney Hill at the start of the second half. A sniping run by their impressive scrum -half, Leon Leggit, saw him go-over under the posts. With Baker converting, it was once again game on.
Chinnor were now keeping the ball tight. With Williams, on for the injured Cathcart, kicking into the corner, Chinnor set up a rolling maul and captain Matt Hutchins went over. Ben Hewitt made no mistake with the conversion. Coney Hill came back once more with Chinnor making a mess of defending a long kick allowing their speedy winger Nevall Codlin to touch down.T wo tries in the last eight minutes, both from rolling mauls and both touched down by Joe Winpenny and converted by Ben Hewitt made the game safe for Chinnor.
That they stuck to their game plan, in keeping the game tight, was laudable. Chinnor’s front five played exceptionally well with Grizz McGuire hardly seen but most effective. They will need to be on their mettle next week at Patesians who have also started the campaign in an impressive fashion.