Chinnor 1st XV 66 vs.
Wallingford 1st XV 7
Saturday 23rd February 2008
Oxfordshire Cup Semi-final
Awaiting match photos
After going close on two occasions
Chinnor opened their account with a try from Pip Seymour in the 18th
minute. An excellent conversion from the touchline by Ben Hewitt
turned the try into a goal. Hewitt orchestrated the Chinnor
three-quarter attack with panache all afternoon. He took the ball
at pace and changed the angles of attack to release the speedy
wingers outside him. He was ably abetted by Tim Sutton, his half -
back partner, who made a most impressive home debut. Both centres
also played no small part in ensuring that the game was spread wide
at every available opportunity. Tries then came at regular intervals
for the home side although Wallingford responded with a lot of guts
and determination. The dancing feet of Alan Cawston, in at hooker,
took him over the line for the next Chinnor score. With skipper Matt
Hutchings going over from a rolling maul, and then Seymour and Phil
Huxford rounding off three-quarter moves at pace, and Hewitt
converting all three tries Chinnor had a 33 point cushion at the
interval.
With Chinnor now
playing into the breeze, Wallingford would have hoped to have fared
better in the second hall. A Jaike Carter try after just two minutes
into the second period dented these aspirations. Huxford then got
his second try and with Hewitt converting, Wallingford were looking
down the barrel. That they scored the next try from a tap penalty
exemplified their never say die spirit. Although it has to be said
that they were aided and abetted by a series of successive penalty
awards leading up to the try from a referee who was a law unto
himself! The try by Johnny Collett, converted by Ralph Smith, was
however, just reward for their efforts Martyn O'Mahoney then got in
on the act with a well deserved try and with Seymour and Huxford
both notching up their hat-tricks with Hewitt converting all three
Chinnor were in the final. A quick summary would indicate that
Wallingford , who played with considerable spirit throughout , were
unable to come to terms with the pace of the game.