CHINNOR continue to wait for their first win of the season as Rosslyn Park claimed victory in Round 3 of National 1.

It was a frustrating night at The Rock, where three tries in the final 12 minutes saw the hosts record what on paper looks a convincing victory.

But isolate the result and that will not tell you the full story as an improved and gritty second half performance saw our Men’s First XV close to within seven points after 65 minutes.

We perhaps did not have the penetration through the centre of the pitch to punish Park further, while a couple of errors resulted in a loss of momentum. However, when Dean Hammond scored our second try and Nick Smith’s conversion attempt found its way over courtesy of the right upright, there was real hope that we could turn the game around and The Rock had fallen rather silent.

There was no denying that the home side had deserved their 21-7 lead at half-time, but the match got away from us in the final 12 minutes with three tries resulting in a harsh scoreline – that’s sport for you, I guess.

All we can do is take the positives and there are plenty as we produced an improved performance from the defeat at home to Rams a week previously – we move on to the next job and that is Birmingham Moseley at Kingsey Road next Saturday.

Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe made two changes from last Friday’s starting XV, with captain Ben Manning and Reece Marshall coming into the side at blindside flanker and hooker respectively.

The boys showed great intensity from the first whistle, had troubled Park, and were sound defensively with a steal at an 11th-minute lineout and No 8 Willie Ryan’s superb carry up to our 22 being a particular highlight.

However, by now, the home side were getting momentum and enjoying more and more territory. Scrum-half Luke Baldwin was setting the pace, with fast ruck ball enabling them to make inroads. A penalty allowed former Chinnor man Craig Holland to kick to the corner and this time they did find their way over as hooker Jared Saunders plunged over. Holland impressively converted from out wide to put the hosts into a 7-0 lead after 16 minutes.

The hosts were now really on top, but we had an opportunity to level. Moments after we superbly stopped a driving maul just metres from our line, we launched a fantastic move across the pitch which enabled us to break from our own half. Left wing Hammond wrong footed the opposition by cutting back inside and he exploited a gap. Outside centre Jason Worrall ran a fine supporting line and, with Kieran Goss in acres of space over on the right wing, we looked certain to score. However, the final pass wasn’t quite accurate enough and Park escaped.

They launched their own counter off the back of that and No 8 Dan Laventure led the way as the Park captain stormed forward. It resulted in a ruck penalty and a yellow card for Manning as Holland booted the hosts deep into our half. They looked to make the most of the man advantage and a series of carries off the lineout led to flanker Matt Bolwell burrowing over close to the posts, leaving Holland a simple conversion to make it 14-0.

Their man advantage did not last long as a high tackle on full-back Smith just moments after the restart resulted in a yellow card for back row Arthur Ellis. However, that did not deter the hosts who kept the pressure up. Once again, they went through the phases and waited for their chance, this time inside centre Matt Gordon exploited a gap in the centre of the pitch as he picked up from the base of a ruck and charged through and under the sticks. Holland again converted and they now led by 21 points after 32 minutes.

It was proving to be a tough night, but we gave ourselves a platform going into the second period by scoring just before the break. A superb scrum on the Park 22 launched a fine set-piece move and Worrall dived over the whitewash for his second try of the season. Fly-half Tom Price stepped up to add the extras as we cut the deficit to 14 points at the interval.

It had been a frustrating watch from a Chinnor perspective, but the boys produced a much-improved second half performance with the forwards leading the way.

Another dominant scrum launched an attack on 42 minutes and Smith sent a fine kick into space behind Park and into the right corner. Goss set off after it and you always back him in these situations, but it didn’t quite fall for him on this occasion.

There was hope that there was something in this match for us and even when Park did enjoy a bit of territory, we stood firm, although thankfully a knock on from replacement centre Nick Scott did end one particular attack which looked to have caught us cold following Baldwin’s break through the middle.

We continued to build momentum and Park were now having to work extremely hard to keep us at bay, with the home side looking tired. Momentum seemed to be with us and the hosts were again down to 14 when Gordon was yellow-carded for an indiscretion at a ruck.
We played off the lineout on their 22 and sucked Park in as we patiently went through the phases to exploit the space with the extra man. Jack Walsh, now on at fly-half for Price, spotted an opportunity out on the left and his long pass found Hammond, who finished superbly in the corner. We had worked so hard for that score and when Smith’s conversion attempt hit the right post and snuck over the crossbar, suddenly there was real hope as the scoreboard now read 21-14 after 65 minutes.

However, a penalty soon after the restart wiped some of that momentum away, before Park did the rest. We were pinned back on our own try-line as the hosts looked to pick and go off a lineout, before Holland sent a crossfield kick high into the night sky where it was patted down by Scott and superbly finished by full-back Henry Robinson. Holland again converted as the hosts re-established their 14-point lead with 68 minutes on the clock.

The boys continued to dig in as we went in search of another try and at the very least a losing bonus point. However, we were to leave empty handed.

After countering off a scrum, Park had their tails up and we were defending on our try-line. There was still hope as inside centre Lewis Jones intercepted a pass and began to set off down the field, only to be called back and yellow carded for offside. Moments later and lock Gregor Gillanders drove over – Holland converting – as the home side further stretched their lead.

Of course, the hosts were now out of sight, but there was still time for them to cross again and the bounce of the ball was cruel – literally.

Park – full of confidence - countered out of their own half as we had continued to enjoy more territory, and Laventure hacked on down the left wing. Both sets of players gave chase as the ball bobbled and bounced, and such is the unpredictability of a rugby ball that it fell into the hands of a red shirt and Jack Gash dived over. Holland stepped up to complete an immaculate evening from the tee as the final whistle sounded.

A tough one to take and the harsh reality of sport.

Rosslyn Park: H Robinson, Walker, Stanton, Gordon, Howard, Holland, Baldwin, Wade, Saunders, Zeiss, Spencer, Gillanders, Bolwell, Ellis, Laventure.
Reps: Harding, Garvey, O Robinson, Gash, Scott.

Chinnor: Smith, Goss, Worrall, Jones, Hammond, Price, Carter, Lines, Marshall McNulty, Down, Turrisi, Manning, Heathman, Ryan.
Reps: Darlington, Harewood, North, Grose, Walsh.