CHINNOR scored four tries in the final 16 minutes to see off Birmingham Moseley and record their first win of the season.

Much-needed, vital, crucial, whatever words you want to use – this one felt good.

Trailing 21-12 after an hour, in all honesty this National 1 encounter – which proved to be another entertaining advert for this thrilling division – could have gone either way.

But our Men’s First XV were rewarded in the final quarter and those hard yards in pre-season paid off, with Head of S&C Daz Oliver watching on delightfully – it really was a Powerhouse performance.

Willie Ryan – who produced yet another monstrous man of the match display – crashed over to haul us to within two points, before Jason Worrall’s fine score put us into a 25-21 lead and secured the four-try bonus-point.

With Moseley pushing for a way back into the match, we stood up defensively and punished our visitors with Josh Hodson and Worrall crossing late on to put the icing on the cake.

Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe made two changes to the team which started against Rosslyn Park the previous week. George Grose came in at outside centre, with Worrall switching to the right wing in place of the injured Kieran Goss. There were also changes on the bench, with Charley Robinson, Josh Pieterse and Hodson in the matchday squad.

After three straight defeats there was no hiding of the importance of delivering in Round 4 – however the visitors struck first.

With just three minutes on the clock, Moseley carved through the middle and openside flanker Batsirai Zindi powered over under the sticks. Ex-Chinnor fly-half Ben Palmer converted to make it 7-0.

By now we were already forced into a change, with Pieterse replacing Keston Lines – who came off holding his right arm – at loosehead prop.

However, it was the replacement who scored our first try of the day just moments later. After spreading across the pitch on half-way, Worrall brilliantly broke the gain line and made metres, before quick ball allowed us keep moving forward and Pieterse charged over. Fly-half Tom Price stepped up to add the extras and we were now level at seven-all after nine minutes.

By now we were on top and despite Moseley’s best efforts, which included holding up what looked to be a certain try from a driving maul, we crossed again and it was some try which started from a lineout on our own 22.

No 8 Ryan’s strength and desire was once again on show for all to see and he carried superbly off the set-piece before releasing Luke Carter. The scrum-half had run a lovely supporting line and raced away down the pitch, only to be caught with just a few metres to go. However, Willie was in hot pursuit and Carter popped the ball up for the Irishman to collect and dive over. Price was unable to convert, but we now led 12-7 with 22 minutes on the clock.

A couple of minutes after that score and Carter was forced off through injury with Jack Walsh taking his place at scrum-half, but unfortunately Moseley were to finish the half the stronger.

Their sustained pressure was rewarded on 30 minutes as, despite some fantastic Chinnor defence, they broke through our resistance. Inside centre Elliott Creed did the damage and looked to go all the way himself, but under pressure from Walsh he offloaded to blindside flanker Suvwe Obano to go over. Palmer slotted the conversion to make it 14-12 to Moseley.

Three minutes later and they scored their third try of the afternoon and, in all honesty, it is surprising to think it was their final points of the day. It was a superb score, with two wonderful offloads resulting in Sam Pointon racing down his right wing and over the whitewash. Again, Palmer added the extras as Moseley opened up a 21-12 lead.

There was still time for us to reply before the break and we so nearly did with what would have been a contender for try of the season. Left-wing Dean Hammond collected a clearance just inside his own half and charged back at Moseley, exchanging passes with hooker Reece Marshall, before blindside flanker Ben Manning supported with one of his trademark lines. Deano received it again on the wing and he offloaded out of the back of his hand for Walsh to dive over in the corner. However, somewhere in all of that a foot was adjudged to have been in touch and the try did not count.

The feeling at half-time was one of positivity, there was still plenty to play for, and we started the second half well.

However, both sides had already been guilty of inaccuracy and errors at lineouts and this trend continued in a rather average opening 20 minutes. The remaining 20 more than made up for it, though.

By now we were on top and we needed to turn our pressure into points. A penalty allowed us to kick to the corner and we played quickly off the top of the lineout, resulting in openside flanker Max Heathman driving towards the line, only to be held up. Referee Richard Gordon had played advantage, and after Ryan’s tap and go from five metres, Moseley were pinged again and No 8 Ollie Stedman was sin-binned for a no arms tackle. This time we made it count, with another tap and go penalty leading to Willie forcing his way over for his second of the afternoon. Price added the extras and we were now within two points at 19-21.

The momentum was all with Chinnor and we kept on coming. Another carry from Willie caused problems, but Moseley ultimately defended the situation well and cleared their lines. However, on 72 minutes we did take the lead and again Ryan played an influential role. There was no stopping the No 8 as he powered forward, before skipper Benji supported with another of those lovely lines. There was space out wide and full-back Nick Smith threw a sublime pass out to Worrall who raced down his right wing and over for his third of the season. Smith took over the kicking duties and duly slotted the conversion to make it 26-21 with seven minutes to go.

The match was still in the balance with only five points in it and Moseley went in search of a reply. It was all a little frantic just over the half-way line and when the ball became loose and free, Hodson pounced and raced forward and over the 22. Pointon gave chase, but there was no stopping Josh as he dived over for try number five to make sure of victory. Again, Smith added the extras as we now led by 12 points.

Still Moseley went in search of another score, but we continued to shut them out and when we overturned possession, we launched a counter which resulted in five more Chinnor points. There was so much space in the back field and Smith launched a kick down the pitch which Worrall set off after. The South African ace won the foot race and showed superb footballing skills to kick it over the whitewash and dot down to the delight of the majority of Kingsey Road. There was only time left for the conversion and it didn’t matter that it sailed wide.

What a day, what a win. We’re not saying it was perfect, but it was important. Next stop … Leeds Tykes.

Chinnor: Smith, Worrall, Grose, Jones, Hammond, Price, Carter, Lines, Marshall, McNulty, Down, Turrisi, Manning, Heathman, Ryan.
Reps: Robinson, Pieterse, North, Hodson, Walsh.

Birmingham Moseley: Benjamin, Pointon, I McNulty, Creed, Knox, Palmer, Marsh, Foreman, S McNulty, Langley, Barnes, Ayling, Obano, Zindi, Stedman.
Reps: Olver, Ajayi, Le Roux, Allsopp, Combes.