Chinnor managed to beat Ampthill in the Champ for the first time with a hard fought and ultimately well deserved win at a rain sodden Kingsey Road on Saturday. Chinnor's victory was underpinned with an excellent display in the set piece and a dominating display on both sides of the ball in the driving maul.

Ampthill had the better of the early exchanges as again Chinnor got on the wrong side of the referee. Using the elements this gave the Mob the opportunity to launch several attacks from lineouts deep inside Chinnor's 22. However a combination of some superb steals from Jamie Campbell and strong defence of the driving maul meant Ampthill could not take advantage of this early pressure. Chinnor would have been well pleased with their defence but ironically it was a error when they were attacking that led to the first score, as a wayward pass was fly hacked through from Strachan which allowed Kildunne to win the race to the touchdown, 0-7.

Chinnor responded well and with some strong carrying from Man of the Match Gabe Mann and James Bourton, they managed to threaten Ampthill line and open up the bind side for skipper Luke Carter, on his 100th appearance, to exploit. From their first attacking lineout a clever move made big yardage and from the ensuing penalty Campbell again won the ball and Alun Walker, celebrating his 50th cap, was in the vanguard to score, 5-7.

Chinnor were now playing with some real fluency and after a series of carries it looked like they had taken the lead when Grant Hughes was released in the corner to dive over. The final pass was adjudged forward but Chinnor were playing under advantage. From the ensuing penalty Chinnor gain muscled over from a driving maul, this time with Alun Walker again crashing over, 10-7. With half time approaching Ampthill had a chance to retake the lead with more close lineout opportunities but again some excellent defending saw Ampthill spill the ball forward which gave Chinnor the opportunity to kick to touch.

Chinnor would have been delighted with their 1st half and with the benefit of a strengthening wind they would be looking to enforce their supremacy in the tight and play for territory. Ampthill had other ideas and looked to up the tempo of their game and looked to play with width. This put Chinnor's defence under pressure but it was more than a match for what was thrown at them. Some excellent kicking from Hughes and Carter meant any Ampthill mistake was punished with big territorial gains. On 60 minutes a charged down clearance kick put Ampthill within inches of the Chinnor line, again some superb scrambling defence denied what looked like a certain try. Ampthill eventually spun the ball wide and a long miss pass gave Hughes the opportunity of a potential intercept, he managed to get both hands to the ball and his diving catch to regain the loose ball was agonisingly close. However the attempt was adjudicated as a deliberate knock on and Hughes was shown his second (both v harsh) yellow of the match and hence a 20 minute red.

Ampthill kicked the penalty to the corner and drove the lineout towards the Chinnor line but again some superb defence from Chinnor cheered on by the now full grandstand held the ball up. Some frustration on Ampthill's part led to a bout of handbags and Chinnor kicked clear from the penalty. This turned out to be the key moment as Chinnor then encamped themselves deep in attacking territory for the next 19 minutes. Some notable carries again from Mann and Bourton set the platform and from another driving maul Chinnor eventually moved the ball wide which gave Tome Watson the gap to go close, quick recycling and superb hands from Carter and Nick Smith in the atrocious conditions put Freddie Owsley in the corner for a smartly taken try. A superb touchline conversion from Smith put Chinnor up 17-7.

Chinnor's driving maul was proving a real weapon and gave the foundation to launch more attacks. Chinnor went close on a couple of occasions to notch a bonus point try but Ampthill's defence was solid. This did give them the opportunity to break out in the 80th minute from the stranglehold and Angus Hall kicked a long distance last gasp penalty to grab a losing bonus point

Forwards Coach Mark Darlington "A really dogged performance and I was very pleased with our redzone efficiency especially in the first half when we were against the elements. We managed the second half really well, especially having to play 20 minutes with 14 men. The work rate we oustanding."

Chinnor- Owen, Walker, Hardwick, Campbell, Irvine, Carr, Stokes, Mann, Carter (c), Chamberlain, Goss, Bourton, Watson, Hughes, Smith

Replacements- Rukhadze, Moore, Doak, Rafferty, Dugmore, Pascoe, Passman, Owsley

Tries- Walker 2 , Owsley
Con - Smith

Photo Simon Cooper
Report John Vaughan

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