Week two of the 2005/6 Berks, Bucks and Oxon league paired these two sides for a fixture a Kingsey Road..

Chinnor took the field under strict instructions that hospitality should not extend to presenting tries to the opposition like last week. As they did so, the skies were black and the rain was jetting down stair rods. When the game got under way, the handling of both sides was exceptional given the conditions.

Witney broke the deadlock first, when their full-back joined the line and managed to run through his opposite number into the left-hand corner for an unconverted try. 0-5.

Chinnor responded with intense attack that eventually saw Ben Hewitt kick ahead into the corner. As winger Guy Hackshaw closed in on the ball in the in goal area he was taken out without the ball and a penalty try was awarded. Bizarrely, the attempted conversion from Ben Hewitt barely got up to head height, so it remained 5-5.

Chinnor began to look enterprising with a balanced combination of excellent aggressive driving and width. Morgan Thompson then found himself centre stage. Arcing right from the outside channel he found himself isolated. With four defenders beaming down on him, his next decision was made for him and unceremoniously muscled and slipped his way through the considerable cover to touch down by the posts. This time Hewitt did what was required and it was 12-5.

Whitney collected a donation of three points from a penalty following some needless back chat. 12-8. A series of exchanges then followed, before Chinnor struck once more. This time it was scrummie Jason Garrod who did the damage. Picking up from the back of a five metre scrum, he scampered under and through the aggressive efforts of the Whitney blockers Ben Hewitt was confounded by the wind, angle and distance and it remained 17-8.

Chinnor had began to get their tails up, when they delivered another blow shortly afterwards. After some great play by the forwards, who had secured the ball, the backs cut loose with a move that swept from one side of the pitch to the other. When the ball finally reached the left wing it was in the hands of prop Mark Rumble, who charged ahead and broke the Whitney defensive line before making his way around under the posts to give Ben Hewitt a simple opportunity, which he calmly accepted.

It was now 24-8 with half-time approaching, but there was still time to put further points on the board and Whitney did just that. As they pressed centre field, the Chinnor back line missed the runner and it was suddenly 24-15 at the break.

Coach Rob Hill called for more of the same without the missed tackles and Chinnor came out firing. After a number of telling forays into the last third, they eventually made pressure tell, when Ben Hewitt came into the line to hit a deliciously well timed and superbly delivered sweet pass from outside half Ollie Heath. Hewitt made it over in the right hand corner and Morgan Thompson got very close to making the ensuing kick. 29-15.

Chinnor continued to press and began to exert some territorial advantage. As they were winding it up, they created a ruck just less than ten metres from the Witney line. When the ball emerged, it was scooped up by Ross Gehnich, who had replaced Rob Arthur at open side after the former had cruelly suffered a tweaked hamstring, whilst helping to create Chinnor's fourth try. Gehnich, who was taking the field for the first time in twelve months following an enforced absence, did what comes naturally. He drove forward and was met by a volley of desperate tacklers. Keeping low, he spun out of contact and over the line for a fairytale comeback try. Morgan Thompson made another valiant effort with the conversion attempt, missing by only a whisker. It therefore remained 34-15

At the death, as Chinnor remonstrated over some violent play, Witney played the whistle and were rewarded with an unconverted try. 34-20..

There was no time remaining as the referee blew his whistle to bring an end to proceedings..

As Chinnor reflect on some inadequate tackling, they  will contemplate their third Berks, Bucks and Oxon league match at away to Maidenhead next week.  

Team: Arthur, Batting, Davis, Garrod. Gehnich, Grellier, Hackshaw, Heath, Hewitt, Hughes, Hughes-Morgan, Issac, Lee, Lewis, Mauger, Maloney, Messenger, Quadrado, Rumble, Sanders, Spinks and Thompson. 

Man of the Match for Chinnor was Jason Garrod.