CHINNOR RFC battled hard in the first half against a lively Cambridge side on Saturday (09/11), but then ran away with the match to win 40-17.
With injuries still problematic, Chinnor were still unsure of their final 15 on the morning of the match and were forced to bring Matt Goode into the starting team after his recent surgery.
Cambridge began the scoring with a penalty goal from full-back Jim Wigglesworth. They then managed to control the ball and attack the Chinnor line for lengthy periods. Chinnor, with a well-organised defence, managed to resist the visitors’ attacks. Chinnor kicked long from a penalty and then chasers managed to overturn the ball and after a series of rucks, Hirskj-Douglas went over for Chinnor’s first try on the 19th minute. Millet’s conversion put the home side ahead 7-3.
Cambridge came straight back when tight head prop, Callum Miller, nipped through a hole in the Chinnor defence and, with a surprising turn of speed, dotted down under the posts. Wigglesworth converted and just six minutes later, on the 30th minute, scored himself and converted to put Cambridge ahead 17-7.
Millett’s penalty goal on the 35th minute saw the home side go in at half-time 10-17 down.
Chinnor clearly had drunk a most restorative cup of tea at half time and came out all guns blazing. Two penalty goals from Millett on the 41st and 43rd minutes, brought Chinnor to just one point behind at 16-17. Chinnor upped the pace and looked to score more. After a series of penalties, the referee Mr Kirby sent Cambridge’s James Stokes to the sin bin. Marston, in off his wing, danced through the defence for Chinnor’s second try on the 54th minute. Millett’s conversion increased the Chinnor lead to 23-17.
With Cambridge visibly wilting, Matthew Goode then decided to get in on the action scoring two powerful tries in the 57th and 62nd minutes. Millett converted both to increase the home lead to 37-17.
The Cambridge scrum, dominant in the first half, progressively deteriorated and was penalised for standing up. From the resultant penalty, Millett put Chinnor 40-17 ahead, just as the final whistle sounded.
This was very much a game of two halves. Cambridge, with powerful scrumming, were lively and dangerous throughout the first half. Only the most resolute and organised defence from Chinnor stopped them scoring more. Cambridge controlled the ball and Chinnor lived off poor scraps.
Everything changed in the second half. Chinnor, when they had the ball, kept it and worked field position well with a smarter kicking game than in the first half. They clearly had more energy and Hirskj-Douglas caused all sorts of trouble with his tackling and ball carrying, and deserved his Man of the Match award. Fielding cut some incisive lines and Jones frequently acted as an extra back row player. Millett’s kicking kept Chinnor in the match until Marston, lively and always looking for work, and Goode’s double, confirmed Chinnor’s undoubted second-half superiority.
Teams
Chinnor: Matt Mountford, Leo Fielding, Matthew Goode, Will Millett, Joe Marston, James Cathcart, Frank Jones, Joe Winpenny, Alan Cawston, Nathaniel Titchard-Jones, Andrew Smith, Tom Mowbray, Liam Gilbert (c), Nick Harrison, Oscar Hirskyj-Douglas
Replacements: Sam Ludgate, Tom Whelan, Adam Hastings, George Blewitt, Macsen Williams
Cambridge: Jim Wigglesworth, Patrick Tapley, Albert Portsmouth, James Ayrton, Michael Gillick, Jack Green, Ross Kevan (c), Jamal Ford-Robinson, James Palmer, Calum Miller, Gareth McComb, Robert Conquest, William Fell, Jethro Rawling, Daniel Hemingway
Replacements: Ean Griffiths, Thomas Jones, Fraser Hall, James Stokes, Dan Brotherton
Scorers
Chinnor
Tries (time): Hirskj-Douglas (19); Marston (54); Goode (56,62)
Conversions (time): MIllett (20, 54, 57, 63)
Penalty Goals (time): Millett (35, 43,49, 80)
Cambridge
Tries: (time) MIller (24); Wigglesworth (30)
Conversions: (time) Wigglesworth (25,31)
Penalty Goals (time): Wigglesworth (3)
