Chinnor RFC Get A Draw In The Final Seconds (Contributed)

CHINNOR scored in the last seconds of the game to record a draw at Maidenhead on Saturday (15/12). They should never have been in the position of chasing the game as they squandered chance after chance in the first half particularly.
They created scoring opportunities but a combination of either spilling the final pass or taking the wrong option cost them. The fluidity of the previous week was just not there. They took Maidenhead on up front too frequently when the better course of action would have been to tire the heavier Miadenhead forwards by making them run across he park as often as possible.

Chinnor were forced to make a late change when the influential Ben Hewitt had to withdraw with a calf injury. Martyn O’Mahoney went to full back and Jaike Carter came in on the wing. Maidenhead took the lead in the 15th minute when centre Warren Abrahams, who was to be a thorn in Chinnor’s side all afternoon, seized on a loose ball to run 50 metres, score under the posts and convert his own try. Up to this point Chinnor had already gone close on several occasions. Maidenhead went further ahead with another Abrahams try in the corner which he failed to convert. A James Cathcart penalty reduced the arrears and when Jaike Carter scored wide out some minutes later, and Cathcart converting, Chinnor were back in the hunt.

Carter had been pulled back minutes early when a defence splitting pass was adjudged forward wwhen he was heading for the posts. An Abrahams penalty on the stroke of half-time put Maidenhead five points to the good.
Pip Seymour, who was causing problems every time he had the ball, got Chinnor off to a flying start finishing off a good move to score in the corner. The scores were not level for too long as Abrahams kicked his second penalty and then scored his third try which he also converted. Chinnor were now 10 points adrift with time running out. They showed a lot of character in getting back on level terms with two further tries from Pip Seymour and Jaike Carter. Indeed, had James Cathcart worn his kicking boots, Chinnor could well have sneaked the result with the last kick of the match.

For Chinnor, Pip Seymour had another barnstorming game with Jaike Carter also prominent with some strong running. An injury to Trevor Powell’s shouder, early doors, did not enhance their cause. If any Chinnor supporter was asked, would he take ten wins, one draw and one loss before Christmas? the answer would well and truly be in the affirmative.