Video highlights are at https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chinnor/?section=videos_photos_view&video_id=9248#_

The sun shone at North Hinksey but mostly on Chinnor as they comfortably defeated local rivals Oxford Harlequins 32-12.

With Prescott still out, Hopwood continued to deputise at scrum-half, Nick Harrison retained his place at open side and Ben Farr made a welcome return on the wing.

Attacking straight from the start, Hewitt soon got Chinnor on the score board with a penalty goal in the 3rd minute. Undismayed, Oxford Harlequins, in their first attack on the Chinnor line scored the first try of the day in the 10th minute when flanker Tim Knapp took a short ball to power over. With the conversion missing, Harlequins led 5-3. Chinnor regained the lead some three minutes later when Goode, with a mazy run through the centre of the field dotted down to give Hewitt an easy conversion and Chinnor the lead by 10 points to 5. Three minutes later Goode turned provider by giving Stoop a short late pass which allowed him to dance again through centre field to score under the posts. With Hewitt converting, Chinnor were now in the lead 17-5 with just 16 minutes gone.

Stoop for Chinnor was yellow carded for a late tackle on the 23rd minute and, to balance, Stewart for Harlequins was similarly carded for an early tackle just 3 minutes later.

On the 35th minute, Hopwood chipped a kick artfully into the Quins in-goal area. The hapless Harlequin full back Crapper dived to ground, missed the ball and allowed the chasing Harrison to score his first try for Chinnor to give them a 22-5 lead.

Harlequins battled strongly but found the Chinnor defence well organised until the 39th minute when Stewart brushed aside a weak tackle to score under the posts and then convert his own try to make the match score 22-12 to Chinnor. Hewitt increased the Chinnor lead with a penalty goal with almost the last play of the half to send Chinnor in with a 25-12 lead.

Shortly after the restart, Chinnor increased their lead with a scintillating move using all the backs with Farr completing the wizardry with a try. Hewitt converted to give Chinnor a 32-12 lead which was to become the final score. Serrano chased a long kick and fairly grounded the ball but the referee, well behind play, ruled the ball dead contrary to the excellent press photograph (showing a properly scored try - see above) sadly inadmissible at this level.

In the 56th minute, Stewart for Quins was yellow carded for foul play with Chinnor’s Goode similarly punished for being on the receiving end. With most of the second half riddled with niggles and slow and mistake ridden play, the spectacle of the first half spluttered. On the 76th minute, following a period of intense pressure on the Chinnor try line, Goode received his second and the fifth yellow card of the match, this time for lying on the ball. Despite protestations of mistaken identity and a frank admission by a Chinnor front rower, the referee converted the punishment to a red card as the bewildered Goode trooped off.

Oxford Harlequins struggled to get into the match except at lineout time where they functioned well. Their backs looked dangerous at times but the Chinnor defence held sway for most of the match.

The Chinnor pack provided the platform for this victory with the front row effective and industrious throughout. The Chinnor back row were efficient at messing up opposition possession. The backs moved the ball well and the centre pairing showed moments of real promise. Hewitt with some good kicking and increasingly effective generalship kept Chinnor on the front foot.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Hewitt 2PG, 3C; Goode T; Stoop T; Harrison T; Farr T;
Oxford Harlequins: Knapp T; Stewart T, C;

Chinnor team: Williams, Serrano, Goode, Stoop, Farr (Powell 54), Hewitt, Hopwood, Winpenny, Tattersall, Pickett (Whelan 41), Hutchings, Smith, Jackman (Hastings 67), Harrison, Mowbray
Replacements: Whelan, Hastings, Powell