TOM Price played a starring role as Chinnor edged out Darlington Mowden Park in an entertaining ten-try thriller at Kingsey Road.

It was your typical end-of-season contest between two mid-table sides and it did not disappoint – although it got a little tight towards the end.

We scored four of our five tries in the first half as we led 28-5 at the break, but Darlington staged a second half comeback to close it to 35-29 with three minutes to go.

However, our nerves were settled moments later when Price - who crucially slotted all five of his conversions to ensure we were six points in front despite being level on tries scored - slotted a late penalty to ensure victory.

It meant our First XV finished the season in impressive fashion with six wins from our last seven matches – in fact, it’s ten from 15 since Nick Easter became our Director of Rugby at the beginning of December – and we will all be hoping that momentum can be carried through into the summer, pre-season and the 2023/24 campaign.

An entertaining contest and a Chinnor bonus-point win on a Family Fun Day was just the ticket really, and we were also extremely proud to welcome Oxford Hospitals Charity to Kingsey Road. Over the course of this season, we have been raising money in memory of our beloved Head Physio, Lauren Cyster who sadly passed in 2018, with all donations going directly to the Oncology Ward at the Churchill Hospital. Through last August’s Lauren Cyster Megabowl Trophy and First XV ticket sales during this campaign, we were delighted to present a cheque for £3.5k with Lauren’s parents also in attendance.

We headed into the Darlington fixture off the back of an impressive win at Bishop’s Stortford and two changes were made from the side which started at Silver Leys. Will Cave came in at openside flanker, while Price – normally seen in the 10 jersey – was at inside centre in place of the injured Will Blakemore.

In the lead up to this fixture, there had been further positive news following the announcement a week earlier that Easter would be staying on as Director of Rugby, with ten key players re-signing. And within two minutes of the match starting one of those boys scored our opening try, with scrum-half Luke Carter crossing from close range after the visitors were sent backwards by a driving lineout. Price – who scored 18 points to take his personal tally for the season to 97 – slotted the extras on what turned out to be a faultless day for him from the tee.

Many had predicted in the lead up to this game that it could be high-scoring and the early try suggested as much, but we were made to wait until the 17th minute for the next points.

Park dominated the next quarter of an hour both territorially and in possession, but a combination of good Chinnor defence and handling errors from the visitors meant they were unable to make the most of that spell.

We had been a little loose in a blistering start to this game, but we were clinical in the opposition 22. Having attacked off a scrum inside our own half, left wing Kieran Goss made a fine break to help set up an attacking opportunity. From there, the other winger, Nick Smith ran a fine line to race over and dot down under the sticks for his third try of the campaign, helping him to 101 points for the season. Price again added the extras as we doubled our lead to 14-0.

It was a bit of a hammer blow for Darlington, but they responded well to get off the mark three minutes later. Inside centre Callum Mackenzie ran a fine line off a lineout on half-way and fed flanker Yaree Fantini for an unconverted try.

To be fair, they had deserved that but momentum was to switch again and it all came after a phenomenal 50-22 from full-back Will Feeney. That sent us deep into the Mowden half and although that lineout was stolen, it led to us dominating the rest of the first period.

A penalty a few minutes later gave us the opportunity to kick to the corner and there was a sense of inevitability about the outcome as our dominant maul powered forward and hooker Reece Marshall marked his final appearance before retirement with his 12th try of the season. Price brilliantly converted from out wide as the scoreboard now read 21-5 after 29 minutes.

We kept our foot on the gas and after fly-half Jack Walsh sent a testy grubber through which wing Henry Hadfield could only carry out of play, we launched another assault for a four-try bonus-point. A promising attack ensued off the lineout and we were only a few metres out with a penalty advantage, which was activated when Park intercepted a pass. We then kept the pressure on and Price - who had also shown his defensive qualities with a couple of big shots - muscled his way over from close range for a well deserved try. He converted his own score as we extended our advantage to 28-5.

There was still time to add to our 23-point lead before half-time, but Gossy was forced into touch by Hadfield with the try line only metres away.

A fantastic and clinical half from the boys and the 600-strong crowd had been treated to an entertaining 40 minutes, which had also included a large Minis turnout for the players tunnel. There were to be more tries – five in total – it’s just that four of them were scored by the players in blue and white.

We started the second period with some bullish defence, with the highlight being a particularly big shot from England U20s hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas, who was again at blindside flanker. However, Darlington were to prove effective in this half by catching us off guard, finding space on their left wing and attacking quickly off their scrum. This tactic led to their second try as scrum-half Callum Pascoe broke from half-way and fed Fantini for his second.

It didn’t deter the boys and we were straight down the other end, thanks to strong carries from No 8 Willie Ryan and outside centre Jason Worrall. Carter then broke off an inside tip on the 22 and fed Ryan – who later scooped Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year at the Senior Awards evening – for his ninth try of the season. Price continued his fine day by adding the extras and making it 35-10 after 48 minutes.

This was now really turning into the try-fest many had predicted as almost instantly Park crossed for their third with wing Ollie Walker going over and fly-half Ali Ledingham adding the extras.

If you took your eyes off this for a moment you risked missing something, and just after the hour the visitors secured their four-try bonus point as they capitalised off our error to counter out of their half and score through Mackenzie.

Our lead had now been cut to 13 points and it really was a case of game on. Again, Pascoe attacked dangerously off a scrum and we were in trouble once more, but thankfully he kicked out on the full on the half-way line.

It was all becoming rather chaotic and far from the comfortable bonus-point victory that had looked likely at half-time. We were still dangerous in attack, though, and replacement scrum-half Greg Goodfellow went close with a trademark show and go, before we were held up in the next phase.

However, our visitors were keen to get back on the bus with a win and No 8 Ollie Hodgson’s bullish carry saw them move up to the 22, and from there they won a penalty which was kicked to the corner. The end result was another try as they played out off the maul and Mackenzie again found his way over. Ledingham added the extras and they were now only six points behind with 77 minutes played.

Five tries a piece, but Price’s accuracy from the tee ensured a narrow lead, however the DMP bench could sniff a comeback victory.

We had other ideas, though, and earned a penalty on their 22 soon after the restart. Pointing to the posts, Pricey then confidently stepped up to slot the ball through the uprights – similarly to at Stortford seven days earlier – to put us in front by more than a converted try and that was how it finished.

A thrilling, entertaining, pulsating, but a little nerve-jangling end to the season as we secured eighth place – incredibly only seven points off fifth which is remarkable considering where we were in the table a few months ago. Full credit to the players and coaching staff for the turnaround, and a massive thank you to all connected with our Club for your continued support this season. None of this would be possible without our volunteers, members, staff, sponsors and all who enable the rugby to happen. Thank you!

Chinnor: Feeney, Smith, Worrall, Price, Goss, Walsh, Carter; Lines, Marshall, McNulty, Down, Berry, Theobald-Thomas, Cave, Ryan.
Reps: Darlington, Harewood, Brockschmidt, Heathman, Goodfellow.

Darlington Mowden Park: McTurk, Hadfield, Passman, Mackenzie, Walker, Ledingham, Pascoe; Barron, Shannon, Kyle-Clay, Vaioleti, Craggs, Fantini, Jones, Hodgson.
Reps: Crickmay, Fisher, Tiffen, Fraine, Johnson.