CHINNOR suffered their first home loss of 2023 as an impressive Taunton Titans proved too strong at Kingsey Road.

Again, we showed great character to earn a four-try bonus point in defeat, but we conceded 50 points for a second successive week as our visitors deservedly left Thame with five points.

As a result, we remain tenth in the National 1 table, however the gap to the relegation zone has been reduced to five points.

Tries from Josh Hodson (2), Charley Robinson and Jason Worrall did ensure we took something out of the defeat, but three more players were added to our growing injury list with Willie Ryan, Will Cadden and James Down suffering knocks.

Injury and unavailability had already played its part ahead of the fixture, with 11 changes made to the squad from the Rams game. Robinson, Bradley Harewood, Alfie North, Hodson, Tom Price and Worrall came into the XV, with a completely new bench of Ben Wilkinson, Will Cave, Cadden, Lewis Jones and Jack Walsh.

For the opening quarter of an hour, we were the better team. Although we lost Ryan to a hamstring injury after just eight minutes, we dominated in possession and territorially, but we just couldn’t get the try we deserved and our only points came via a Price penalty.

Titans slowly grew into the game and when powerful No 8 Sam Prior carried strongly into our half that set them up for the opening try of the match as wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso dived over out wide for an unconverted score.

Although we immediately retook the lead at 6-5 through Price’s second penalty of the afternoon, the stuffing was about to be knocked out of us.

Titans soon crossed for their second with hooker Alex Spurdle going over from an unstoppable driving maul – George Worboys converting – and a few minutes later we lost our second player to injury with Cadden, who had come on for Ryan, limping off to be replaced by debutant Cave.

The visitors were now full of confidence and dominating proceedings. Another powerful maul led to prop Alex Rodd plunging over, before Feyi-Waboso snuck through a gap and raced over under the sticks – Worboys converting both – as they already had the four-try bonus point in the bag after 37 minutes.

Trailing 26-6, we went on to finish the half strongly. A gritty carry from Cave got us to within a few metres, but Titans resisted our pick and goes, and when we looked wide, we had a foot in touch as we searched for the score. However, we were to have another opportunity and this time we scored, as hooker Robinson went over at the back of a powerful driving lineout for his third try in two games. Price’s attempted conversion was blown off course by the strong wind, but the deficit was now 15 heading into the interval.

At this point, there was no need to panic, there was still plenty more rugby to be played – we just needed to get off to a fast start. Taunton, however, had other ideas and 19 minutes after the restart they were out of sight.

Within a minute of the resumption, Prior charged over from 20m – Worboys converting – to make it 33-11.

What followed was a period of Chinnor pressure which again did not herald points and ended with another Taunton blow. After being held up, we continued to knock on the door and Worrall looked certain to find his way over, only to be denied by a fine tackle from Feyi-Waboso.

Titans’ defence had again come out on top and they were to score again on their next visit to our half. Centre Nick Mason led a counter attack and offloaded to Worboys who looked like he was going to score but for full-back Nick Smith’s superb try-saving tackle. After a series of pick and goes, a penalty went the way of the visitors and Prior was fed to burrow over from close range. Worboys added the extras and now they really were out of sight at 40-11 with 59 minutes on the clock.

We now needed to get something out of the game and that mission was given a boost when left-wing Hodson dived over in the corner following a fine long pass from Walsh. Price slotted a superb conversion from the touchline and with 16 minutes to go time was on our side to score twice more.

However, moments later lock Down suffered what looked to be a head injury when trying to stop Prior bulldozing forward and was unable to continue. He was also yellow-carded which meant we were unable to bring on a replacement and we were now down to 14.

On resumption, Worboys slotted a penalty for Taunton and, with a bit more space for the visitors to exploit, they went on to score their seventh try. Centre Jordan Venter this time ran through a gap and over half-way, creating a three-on-one and an easy score for scrum-half Jordan Petherbridge. Worboys added the extras and the scoreboard now read 18-50.

With eight minutes to go, we refused to give in and successfully crossed twice in the latter stages to secure the bonus point.

Worrall finished well in the right corner for his 13th try of the season and first since November, before a fine pass from Price set up Hodson for his third score in two games.

Again, great character from the players to get something out of a match where we were well and truly second best, but we cannot hide away from the disappointment of the result. We regroup and stay together as National 1 takes us up to Sale next Saturday.

Chinnor: Smith, Worrall, Hughes, Price, Hodson, Feeney, Carter, Lines, Robinson, Harewood, Down, North, Manning, Heathman, Ryan.
Reps: Wilkinson, Cave, Cadden, Jones, Walsh.

Taunton Titans: Dart, Feyi-Waboso, Mason, Venter, Feyi-Waboso, Worboys, Petherbridge; Rodd, Spurdle, Ncube, Harvey, Knott, Rice, Wright, Prior.
Reps: Gosling, Dalton, Leworthy, Richards, Toogood.