CHINNOR were unable to build on last week’s promising display as Esher left Kingsey Road with a bonus-point victory.

The visitors were more than good value for the five points, with their electric back-line causing problems all afternoon.

Usually when you score five tries and 33 points you would be triumphant, but not in this game. While Esher were deserving of their first victory of the season, Chinnor errors proved costly while we were never able to slow the game down enough to keep them at bay as their impressive fly-half Sam Morley pulled the strings.

Despite the defeat, a four-try bonus-point has actually seen our First XV climb out of the relegation zone as Leeds Tykes were beaten heavily by Darlington Mowden Park.

Unfortunately, the result dampened the spirits on what had been otherwise an enjoyable day at Kingsey Road. The Clubhouse had been open from 6am with the Members’ Bar packed out for the Women’s World Cup final, while the pre-match lunch was sold out on what was our VPs and Founders’ Day.

With one place and eight points separating the sides before kick-off, this was an important game for both sides, but two injuries in the warm-up did not help our cause. With loosehead prop Josh Pieterse and outside centre Lewis Jones unable to play, Keston Lines and Kieran Goss were promoted to the XV. Top try-scorer Jason Worrall had been due to start on the right wing and he moved to 13 as part of the reshuffle, with Bradley Harewood and Tom Price coming on to the bench.

Despite this we started the match pretty well. Good hands through the backs led to Goss racing down the right and he hauled us to within about 20m. Scrum-half Luke Carter picked up from the ruck and attempted a cheeky attack on the blindside, but was forced out of play.

We pushed Esher’s resulting lineout maul into touch and then launched our next attack off our own set-piece. Peppering the try-line off the maul, our forwards then sucked the visitors in with pick and goes before releasing our backs and Smith dived over. The full-back stepped up to slot the conversion as we led 7-0 after eight minutes.

A great way to begin the match and the early try settled the nerves, but we were about to be reminded why Esher’s backs are among the best in this division.

A yellow-card for tighthead prop Josh McNulty did not help matters, but the visitors made full use of their extra man and by the time we were back to XV, they led 10-7.

A lineout led to their first score, as they attacked on the blind and wing James Botterill sprinted over for an unconverted try.

Esher were starting to look dangerous and we were let off on 18 minutes when the ball was thrown to the back of the lineout and in anticipating a potential overthrow, we left a big hole for scrum-half Pierre Thompson to race through. He made it up to the 22, before looking left for a supporting teammate and thankfully the ball was knocked on.

By now we had made a number of promising breaks into the opposition’s 22, only for our own errors to relieve pressure and allow Esher to clear.

Just before the sin-bin was over, the visitors scored their second try. Morley sent a clever kick forward and unfortunately; we knocked on when attempting to catch the ball. This invited pressure and Esher played quickly across the pitch from the lineout, leading to Morley finding his way over.

Our response was good and Josh Hodson’s storming run down his left wing set up an attack which would result in us re-taking the lead. Our big ball carriers took over in the centre of the field, before lovely hands from Feeney fed Worrall for his tenth try in nine games. Smith slotted the extras as we got our noses back in front at 14-10 after 31 minutes.

However, there was still time for Esher to hit back ahead of the break and they scored twice to secure the four-try-bonus point before half-time. They were both superb solo efforts, with right-wing Ben Fitzgerald scything through before centre Jack Walsh ran in from about 40m. Morley converted both to make it 24-14 to Esher.

We were still in the game, there was no need to panic, we just needed to score next and we certainly did that.

Will Simonds, Goss and Willie Ryan carried well to get us into the 22 and Feeney did the rest, beating one man and finishing well for his first try for the Club. The score went unconverted, but the deficit was now only five points.

Goss’ return to fitness brought with it direct, hard-running carries which got the crowd excited, but we were never really able to convert as either an error or good defensive work repelled our efforts.

Instead, Esher’s backs continued to thrive off quick ball and a fine flowing move led to Botterill diving over in the corner. Morley slotted the extras out wide and suddenly they led 31-19 after 55 minutes.

We replied almost immediately to keep ourselves in the match, McNulty driving over from close range – Feeney converting – to cut the deficit to five. This match was still alive, but just a couple of minutes later a ruck penalty gave the visitors the chance to slot a penalty and Morley was on target from the tee to put them in front by more than a converted try with 19 minutes to go.

We did not help ourselves when another handling error invited more pressure as the sides vied for territory from the boot. The resulting scrum led to an Esher penalty and they took it quickly, sucking us into the middle of the pitch and creating spaces in the wide areas for Myles Rawstron-Rudd to dive over. Morley again converted as the lead was now extended to 15 points with 12 minutes remaining on the clock.

Again, we refused to give in and the players set up a potentially thrilling finish when skipper Ryan drove over from close range and Price added the extras to again bring it back to an eight-point game.

The comeback was still possible, but another handling error during a kick battle gifted Esher field position and they never left our 22 after that. The final four minutes proved to be a frustrating watch as the visitors expertly ran down the clock with back-to-back scrum penalties until there was no time left.

After last weekend’s 10-all draw at Cinderford, a home victory was much-needed heading into the second rest week of the season. However, we are again left hoping the break will prove beneficial as we search for an upturn in form.

Chinnor: Smith, Goss, Worrall, Simonds, Hodson, Feeney, Carter, Lines, Marshall, McNulty, Down, Brockschmidt, Berry, North, Ryan.
Reps: Robinson, Harewood, Heathman, Price, Walsh.

Esher: Waters, Fitzgerald, Walsh, Rawstron-Rudd, Botterill, Morley, Thompson, Lowes, Hamilton, Skoumbourdis, Sloan, Bullett, Solway, Scott, Dow.
Reps: Jibulu, Litterick, Atkins, Lang, Bullock.