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After being defensively challenged for large parts of this match, Chinnor finally found a fourth gear in the last quarter to run in two tries and defeat highly fancied Old Patesians from Cheltenham by 20 points to 8

With four last-minute cry offs, Chinnor had to make hasty changes for their first home league match of the season. Simon Tattersall came in for Cawston, Bas Corpe for Seymour, Ricky Hopwood for Prescott and Joe Winpenny for Ian Stock.

The first half was largely a battle of two big and committed packs, with Old Patesians having the ball about 75% of the time. No matter how hard they tried, Chinnor could not get hold of the ball. Their eagerness for the ball was not well viewed by the referee Tom Foley from Bristol who very regularly awarded penalties against Chinnor. In the ninth minute, Seager opened the scoring in favour of Old Patesians with a penalty goal. Hewitt replied similarly in the 16th minute for Chinnor to make the match score 3-3 where it stayed for the whole of the first half despite the significant number of penalties awarded against Chinnor.

With a dropped ball direct from their kick-off, Old Patesians worked the spilt ball through several pairs of hands to lock Nathan Riley who strolled over through a gap in the Chinnor defence for the first try of the match. Seager missed the conversion but Old Patesians were now ahead 8-3. Pats stuck with the tactic of the rolling maul which Chinnor defended against very well.

Two significant events changed Chinnor's fortunes. In the 56th minute, the injured tight head prop Pickett was replaced by Tom Whelan. Whelan’s scrummaging power changed the whole dynamic of the scrum in Chinnor's favour. Now gaining ascendancy in the set piece, the second significant event was set in motion. The Chinnor backs began to play at a much higher pace, prompted by some quick and accurate passing from the nimble Hopwood at scrum-half. As the Chinnor backs ran the ball, spaces started to open up and Williams’ timely intervention into the line led to Chinnor's first try in the 61st minute converted by Hewitt. This gave Chinnor a 13-8 lead. Chinnor's continued pace troubled Old Pats but it was Chinnor's new ascendancy in the scrum which led to their second try. With an Old Pats put-in to their own scrum 10m from their line, the Chinnor pack so severely disrupted the scrum that the referee penalised Old Pats for illegally preventing the shunt. The resultant quick tap penalty saw Powell, who had just replaced Goode, dot down on the 77th minute. Hewitt converted to give Chinnor a 20-8 lead which they held until the final whistle.

Old Patesians were a tough, durable and well drilled side whose pack will trouble most in the league this season.

Chinnor will be concerned about the huge number of penalties awarded against them. In their defence, the referee’s interpretation of the breakdown area was almost the opposite to that of the previous week’s referee.
Chinnor will be pleased that, after being on the back foot for most of the first half, their obdurate defence denied Old Pats many chances to score despite their monopoly of the ball. They will also be heartened by their tactical awareness in upping the tempo of the match. The new centre pairing of Stoop and Goode look like they will offer much in the speed department. Hopwood had an industrious and effective match and Whelan's introduction was most significant.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Hewitt 2PG, 2C; Williams T; Powell T
Old Patesians: Seager PG; Riley T

Chinnor team: Williams, Corpe, Goode (Powell 75), Stoop, Shiel, Hewitt, Hopwood, Winpenny, Tattersall, Pickett (Whelan 51), Hutchings, Smith, Jackman, Hastings (Harrison 51), Mowbray
Replacements: Whelan, Harrison, Powell