Chinnor 2nds beat RAF Combined Services in injury-packed friendly

CHINNOR Seconds played a friendly against a RAF combined services under 23, academy team, on Saturday, and won decisively.
The game was played by a very changed second team, 11 of the normal side played in the EDF cup game against Lydney, allowing some first team players a well-earned rest. The boys rose to the challenge and were good enough to beat Lydney, also a national 3 team, by 19 points to 17.

Chinnor 2nds went ahead after only 3 minutes with a good try by Adam Seymour converted by Tim Sutton. With so many changes, the boys played very well with good understanding between forwards and backs. They were able to keep RAF team under pressure and were rewarded when Aaron Russell broke the line and scored. That was followed with a penalty by Tim Sutton and Chinnor lead by 15 points to 0 after 20 minutes.

Although RAF played well, they lacked the penetration and cohesiveness that they will get, the more they play together as a team, but were very good in defence and prevented Chinnor from scoring on several occasions.

Tim Sutton scored a try, followed five minutes later with a Simon Matthews try, and the first half finished with Chinnor leading by 25 points to 0.

The second half started with a lot of changes to the RAF team and it became a more even game despite RAF still experiencing problems gelling together, which will only come with practice and playing together.
Sadly tragedy struck when one of the RAF props went down when the scrum collapsed and suffered a neck injury and had to be transported to hospital by ambulance.

The emergency services were quick to respond, with first the Fire Service paramedics, the ambulance followed and then the air ambulance, which was thankfully not required.
In the mean time the game changed to another pitch and unfortunately another RAF player went down with a very bad knee injury, this was then followed by an arm injury as well.

By this stage the spirit was lost and the game was played out for the sake of getting it over and done with.
The game ended – Chinnor Seconds won by 25 points to 5