Close Win For Chinnor (Contributed)

National League 3 – South – Match Report – Saturday, September 2 – Chinnor 16, Clifton 15.
THIS was a match which Chinnor ultimately won in stoppage time by a single point and in which the gale-like wind had a significant influence on play.

For their first ever match at National level, Chinnor fielded a side with 8 new players to the club. In contrast, their opponents, Clifton, kept to much the same side that won them promotion through the play offs at the end of last season.

Clifton had advantage of the fierce wind for the first half and looked a settled side as they dominated territory for significant periods of the first half. Chinnor, unable to kick the ball in case it went behind them in the wind, had long periods of possession. The stalemate was broken in the 15th minute when a Barnes penalty opened the Clifton account. A few minutes later, Clifton winger Bell easily beat the Chinnor cover to score a neat try for Clifton. Barnes converted to give Clifton a 10-0 lead.

In a rare visit into the Clifton half, Chinnor were awarded a penalty on the half hour duly converted by fly half Williams. Barnes for Clifton missed a penalty and Clifton went in 10-3 ahead at the break.

At the start of the second half, Chinnor replaced hooker Immelman by Cawston. This half saw Chinnor with the fierce wind at their backs. This allowed them more visits to the Clifton half where Williams struck two penalties to put Chinnor one point behind the visitors from Bristol. 30 minutes into the half, Clifton skilfully put centre Smee away out wide to score a well worked try. Barnes, kicking into a gale, failed with the conversion attempt. Chinnor came straight back with another penalty from Williams to leave the visitors 15-9 ahead. With the minutes ticking away, Clifton looked the stronger and mounted a series of attacks which Chinnor just managed to keep out. Chinnor?s Williams then turned the match on its head by sprinting away, beating two defenders to feed winger Richard Grimsdell. He carried the ball on and quick recycling saw the ball in replacement Hewitt?s hands. Hewitt cleverly fed centre Oxley who powered over for a try with 8 minutes of injury time on the clock. Ice cool Williams converted and the ref blew for full time shortly after, leaving the final score Chinnor 16 Clifton 15.

Chinnor?s discipline in keeping the ball for long periods because of the gale frustrated Clifton who were the more attack orientated side. Clifton were more than a useful side and looked certain winners until Williams? courage in running the ball from deep well into injury time. Schmidt played well for Clifton. Chinnor?s skipper Hennessy had a good match, as did hooker Immelman but lock Hutchings was the stand-out Chinnor player for his non stop involvement in the match.