CHINNOR were unable to start the new season with a notable victory on the road as Darlington Mowden Park won an entertaining contest at a rain-soaked Northern Echo Arena.

After enduring a relentlessly hot and dry summer, the heavens opened right on cue for the opening game of the National 1 campaign and, having trailed from the third minute, it made life difficult for our Men’s First XV.

Darlington is always a difficult place to come and get a result, but the boys dug in and produced a gritty performance after the home side raced into an early 12-0 lead.

While we were unable to bring home a victory, we did clinch a late losing bonus-point courtesy of Will Kelly’s penalty, while there will be plenty for the players and coaches to feel positive about.

Although exposed in the wide areas by the home side’s offloads and quick-footed backs, we showed signs of firing in attack and defence, while our set-piece was impressive - particularly our scrum as Keston Lines produced a man-of-the-match performance at loosehead.

Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe handed debuts to lock James Down and fly-half Kelly, with Reece Marshall, Pietro Turrisi and Tom Price set for their first minutes off the bench.

Rain in the warm-up made what was already looking like a fast track a little greasier, and DMP came out of the traps fast.

Within three minutes they took the lead as quick ball allowed them to get on the front foot and outside centre Liam Checksfield broke through a tackle to run in from 20m. Matt Minogue added the extras to make it 7-0.

It was a far from ideal start, but six minutes later we were starting to get flashbacks from our heavy defeat at the same venue six months previously. It was almost a carbon copy of the first try and this time right-wing Morgan Passman exploited a gap about 25m out and strolled over. Minogue’s conversion attempt went wide, but their lead was now 12 points.

The boys needed to show a response and put together a positive passage of play in the DMP half, only for it to result in outside centre Jason Worrall sustaining a cut above one of his eyes and he was forced off for treatment.

It was another blow, but a penalty had been awarded and we elected for the points, with Kelly on target to get us on the scoreboard.

DMP were still threatening in the wide areas and we did well to recover and tackle Passman into touch as the hosts went close to scoring their third try, but you got the feeling we were growing into the game and the next 20 minutes belonged to Chinnor.

Our set-piece was already firing and a driving lineout nearly led to a try on 31 minutes as scrum-half Luke Carter took the ball out of the maul and popped a lovely inside pass to Kieran Goss, only for the winger to be stopped just short.

We then used our big ball carriers to try to suck DMP in and when the home side knocked on as they attempted an intercept, we were given a golden opportunity under the sticks. We took it, as a strong scrum led to quick ball to Worrall – now with tape around his head – who cut through and over from close range. Kelly slotted the conversion as we closed the gap to 12-10.

There was still time for a bit more action in this half and we found ourselves with a man in the sin bin when Max Heathman was yellow-carded, with DMP opting for the points and Minogue obliging to extend their advantage to five.

The first period still wasn’t over and we had one last opportunity before the break. Patient play in the DMP half paid off as full-back Nick Smith spotted a gap and exploited it, jinking his way clear and then offloading to Carter who did well to pick the ball up off his shoelaces, but lost his footing as the home side scrambled back.

While the players were in the changing rooms at half-time, the rain became heavier and heavier, continuing throughout the second period which slowed the game down and played into the home side’s hands.

A Kelly penalty on 42 minutes gave us hope as we again closed to within two at 15-13, but DMP’s strong-running centres were still causing problems. Checksfield’s tricky feet led to us scrambling back and forcing him to rush an offload which thankfully fell into the hands of Goss and enabled us to clear.

However, on 57 minutes his midfield partner Ben Frankland did the damage, scoring in similar fashion to the first two tries as Park now led 20-13.

By now, both sides were guilty of making errors in the torrential conditions, but only one side needed to force it and it had to be Chinnor. Our pack continued to have the upper hand and on 67 minutes a driving lineout looked to have done the job, only for the ball to be held up as Marshall looked to have touched down.

It could have been a game-changer and instead DMP extended their lead a couple of minutes later, courtesy of a Minogue penalty.

The boys never gave in and kept going until the end, winning a penalty about 30m out and in the centre of the pitch. Three points would bring us back to within seven and Kelly was again on target from the tee as we claimed a losing bonus-point in the last play.

Nobody enjoys a defeat, but we’re only one game in and our attention now turns to Rams at home this coming Friday.

Darlington Mowden Park: Walker, Passman, Checksfield, Frankland, Hadfield, Minogue, Pascoe, Barron, Guest, Crickmay, Fisher, Davies, Craggs, Jones, Hodgson.
Reps: Fraine, Kyle-Clay, Fantini, Mackenzie, Law.

Chinnor: Smith, Goss, Worrall, Yawayawa, Hammond, Kelly, Carter, Lines, Darlington, McNulty, Down, Brockschmidt, North, Heathman, Ryan.
Reps: Marshall, Harewood, Turrisi, Manning, Price.