First defeat of the season for ‘out of sorts’ Chinnor

CHINNOR RFC suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday (04/10), going down 20-13 away at Canterbury.

Chinnor never really got going in this match and looked out of sorts, particularly in the first half. This is to take nothing away from Canterbury who were direct and forceful throughout the match.

The scoring opened in the eighth minute when Millett for Chinnor scored a penalty goal to put the visitors 3-0 ahead. It then took until the 70th minute until Chinnor scored again. In the meantime, Canterbury got on with the game and scored their first try in the 13th minute from nippy scrum-half, Grant Kay. Although the conversion was missed, Canterbury soon increased their score when Charlie Harding went over for a try, converted by Hilton, to put the home side 12-3 ahead on the 20th minute. Now with a taste for the line, Harding went over again just three minutes later to put Canterbury ahead 17-3 – a score they maintained until half-time.

Throughout the first half, Chinnor had only visited the Canterbury half just once (for their early penalty) and thereafter were trapped in their own half until the referee allowed them a much-needed break.

Just after the restart, Canterbury increased their lead by another three points when man of the match, Charlie Harding, popped over a penalty goal to make the lead 20-3 in the 41st minute. Thereafter Chinnor began to get back into the match but met stout resistance when scoring opportunities seemed possible. Chinnor made five replacements in a short period of time in an effort to get something from the match. In the end, fly half Millett went for broke and a mazy run saw him dot down for Chinnor’s only try of the match on the 70th minute. His touchline conversion closed the gap to 20-10. Canterbury then scored a good try only for the score to be cancelled on a touch judge intervention for foul play. Chinnor upped the pressure and were awarded a penalty which Millett converted for a 20-13 score which remained until the final whistle.

Although Chinnor had a better second half, Canterbury’s dominance in the first half particularly, led to the home victory. Canterbury’s Harding was a significant influence on the match and was clearly the best player on the park. The better side won and Chinnnor must learn not to kick aimlessly to opposition players prepared to run the ball back and regroup from the whole experience. Their better second-half performance offers some comfort and they will be grateful to have earned a losing bonus point.

SOURCE: Contributed by Bill O’Donnell

 Scorers:

Chinnor: Millett T, C, 2PG
Canterbury: Harding 2T, PG; Kay T; Hilton C

Chinnor team:
Ricky Hopwood, Joe Marston, Leo Fielding, Matt Goode, Tristan Corpe, Will Millett, Frank Jones, Joe Winpenny, Edward Vickers, Andrew Berry, Sam Blewitt, Tom Mowbray, Andrew Tibbatts, Adam Hastings, Liam Gilbert (c)

Replacements: Tom Whelan, Ian Stock, Oscar Hirskyj-Douglas, James Cathcart, Matt Mountford