Hertford (Home)

This was the proverbial game of two halves. Hertford looked set for a big win as they led comfortably at half-time giving every the indication that they would extend this lead into the second half. They exuded power and control at set pieces, attacked with considerable pace from the back row and with Mark Mapletoft conducting matters from fly-half they appeared a well drilled outfit thoroughly deserving a 24pts to 5 lead at the interval.

Chinnor were a completely different side after the break. They took the game to Hertford, sensibly kicked the penalties on offer and with the pack gaining the ascendancy as the game progressed they scored three unanswered tries to take the lead. With 8 minutes remaining and 6 points to the good, they should have shut the game down and hemmed Hertford in the corner for the remaining minutes. Instead a sloppy pass and then a piece of indiscipline gave Hertford a lifeline, which they gratefully accepted to run out narrow winners.

Chinnor opened the scoring in the eighth minute when after their first incursion into Hertford territory they kicked a penalty into the corner. With Burrows securing the resultant lineout, they drove over the line with Johannes De Bruin being awarded his first try for Chinnor. A Mapletoft penalty nine minutes later put Hertford on the score sheet and this was quickly followed by a try under the posts after a scything break by their impressive No.8 Billy Johnson who handed over to the supporting  Sione Onesi to touch down. Further tries from Gareth Lewis and Luke Sloane both converted by Mapletoft made for unhealthy reading from a Chinnor point of view. With Hutchings being sin binned just on the half-time whistle, things were looking decidedly gloomy for the home side at the break.

With Chinnor competing in the contact areas to much more effect, the game became a more even spectacle. With Richard Williams kicking a penalty 15 minutes after the restart and another 12 minutes later there was no indication of what was to come although the scoreboard was beginning to look more respectable from a Chinnor standpoint. A superb Richard Grimsdell try where he burned off his opposite number by shear pace to score under the posts certainly gave Chinnor belief and when firstly Hennessy went over from a rolling maul to be quickly followed by De Bruin getting his second try Chinnor were in front. Interspersed with these scores Mapletoft was sin binned for back chatting the referee. Instead of settling for a boring last 6 minutes Chinnor opted for an expansionist approach and paid dearly. An unnecessary pass ultimately resulting in a try by Richard Justice converted by Colborne and a last minute penalty by the same player made the game safe for Hertford.

Full marks to both sides for an entertaining game. For Chinnor newcomers Anthony Pyers, Jonathan Phipps and Johannes Bruin made promising debuts.