13/05/10…Vets win cup final to secure a cup double for Chinnor (Contributed)

VENUE: Oxford University Sports Ground, Oxford. WHEN?Wed 5th May, 2010 – Chinnor RFC Oxen(Vets) XV 19 v Grove RFC Vets ? 3. MATCH REPORT:

CHINNOR Vets took to the field at Iffley Road last Wednesday as holders of the floodlit Cup and favourites in some peoples’ eyes. The Chinnor boys took to the field knowing that there was a job to do against a Grove side they have never faced. What they did not know is quite how hard the job was going to be.

Grove started strongly, camping themselves in the Chinnor half for the first 20 minutes. The defence from the Chinnor boys was awesome, denying Grove any score during that period of pressure. Fortunately the Grove kicker hadn’t brought his boots and left six points on the table missing two penalties in that period.

After the first 20 minutes, Chinnor fought themselves out of their half and based themselves on the Grove line and for about five minutes, Grove held back the Chinnor onslaught before succumbing to a snaping dart from Scrum Half Bill Deeley for the first score, skillfully converted by Conor Begley.

From there Grove slotted a penalty after a good break shortly before half time to leave the half time score 7-3 to the men from Thame.

The second half did not let up. The pace was ferocious as were the hits and about 10 minutes after the break, following a well worked break, John Sellars, last year’s man of the match, skillfully forced his way over the Grove line to make the score 12 ? 5.

From there both teams looked exhausted, having traded some hefty blows throughout the match thus far. A final score was added by Hooker Mike Wiltshire, converted again by Conor Begley, leaving the final score 19 ? 3. Both teams were extremely complimentary about the spirit of the match and there were no complaints as both knew they had been in a hard fought match.

Having beaten Oxford Harlequins Vets 22 ? 5 and Bicester Vets 24 ? 0 earlier in the tournament, Chinnor are worthy champions this season and fully deserve their second title in two years.

This win secures a historic cup double, Chinnor 1st team having won the County Senior Cup at the same venue a week before. To hold both the senior and the Vets cups is testament to the strength of the club within the county.

It was a squad performance and so no single performance could be singled out. However, the Oxford RFU’s man of the match for the way he dictated the Chinnor attack, was John Vaughan playing fly half.

Floodlit Cup Squad: Giles Kidner, Mike Wiltshire, Mike Hughes, Craig Smith, John Cann, Andy Millburn, Kenny Lue, Carl Buckland, Simon Turner, Simon Pearson, Steve Bridges, Paul Fincken, Gordon Fennell, Bill Deeley, Doug Humphries, Johnny Vaughan, Dave Wells, Jon Brooks, Richard Simpson, John Sellars, Jon Durrant, Ben Forward, Gavin Wade-Williams, Pete McDermott, Rob Atkin, Conor Begley, Tony Howells, Jeremy Philpott, Kieron Hall.