06/11/12…..Rugby fans ‘spoilt for choice’ in Thame last weekend

LAST Saturday (03/11), rugby fans were spoilt for choice with three matches being played at Chinnor RFC HQ. The feisty Seconds played on pitch one, defending their unbeaten record. The Thirds played Henley with a host of youngsters playing for Chinnor. a match they lost narrowly, 17-20.

The evergreen experienced Vets (35+) ran rings around and eventually, left behind, Redingensians. It was great to see so many kids involved as linesmen, ball boys and waterboys, and the smaller ones copying Dads on the pitch – an alternative to Daddy Day Care! So gentlemen, if you want to get out of shopping etc, offer to look after the kids and bring them to the rugby club, suitably dressed for a kick around in the mud of course!

Next Saturday?s supporters will have an easier choice for allegiance. The 1sts and 2nds are both at home playing against SHELFORD RFC (near Cambridge). This will be Shelford?s first visit to Chinnor RFC in Thame. Let?s give them a day to remember.

Clash of the Titans
Match Report Chinnor 2nds vs. Old Albanians 2nds

CHINNNOR seconds welcomed Old Albanians to Kingsey road this week for an eagerly awaited top of the league clash. This was to be a crunch game between the two teams with neither having lost a game this season and both having achieving maximum points from all the games. OABs first team plays National one, so we knew it was going to be a tough one and it was a game that both teams wanted to win, but more pressure on the Chinnor boys with it being a home game.

Chinnor?s start was not their normal free flowing game with nerves getting the better of the team. There were the exceptions, being Ed Devine, Nick Harrison and Max Williams who was played like men possessed and were fantastic to watch. This put the OABs under pressure from the kick off, but it was the visitors that stepped up to the mark and put the home side under pressure in the scrums, not something that the Chinnor boys are used to. It took until the 15th minute before George Blewitt took a quick penalty and caught the visitors napping by scoring under the posts. As fate would have it as Sam Angle was striking to kick the ball it fell off the tee and connected with the OABs standing under the posts. With the first points on the board and both teams playing attacking rugby and defending well, Chinnor seemed to settle down and were moving the ball well between forwards and backs, when a silly overhead pass was intercepted by OABs on their 10 metre line and they scored under the posts and OABs were in the lead 7 points to 5.

Unfortunately we lost Max Williams and Ed Devine to injury and we had to use the bench earlier than planned. OABs went on to increase their lead with a push over converted try, but Chinnor came straight back with ?Mr Reliable? Trevor Powell scoring and closed the gap to 10 points to 14. Four minutes later with the boys stepping up a gear and attacking the visitor?s line when Nick Harrison went over for Chinnor to take the lead 15 points to 14 at halftime.

The second half started with Old Albanians putting Chinnor under a lot of pressure which eased when Sam Angell who had experienced an unusually off first half with the boot, kicked a penalty from the half line to increase Chinnor?s lead. The next fifteen minutes Chinnor seemed to lose focus by not sticking to the basics. They lost momentum but the strength of a good team is when they can hold it together when things are not going to plan, and this they did.

During this period Harrison went over for his second try which Angell converted and was also presented us with a try bonus point, and increased the lead to 25 points to 14. Shortly after that a lost turnover ball allowed OABs a soft try and which narrowed the gap to 25 points to 21. The intensity of the game increased with both teams giving their all and it was Chinnor who came out top with a great second try from George Blewitt and the score was 30 points to 21 for Chinnor.

A late try by courtesy of a weak tackle saw Old Albanians close the gap to 30 points to 26 in Chinnor?s favour and that was the full time score. By the end of the game Chinnor supporters had chewed their nails to the quick!

There were many good performances in the team Max, Ed Devine, Ed Vickers, Ed Rixon, Trevor Powell and George Blewitt, but man of the match this week goes to Jack Green for his outstanding defensive work which saved Chinnor on several occasions. The whole team can be very proud of themselves. This makes it maximum points 40 from 8 games.

SOURCE: Contributed by Carol Bradbrook-Taylor