With a howling wind throughout the match but with an improved display after last week's agonising loss by one point, Chinnor comfortably beat Barnstaple by 20 points to 8. However given their territorial superiority and good second-half display, Chinnor will be disappointed not to have scored an extra try for a bonus point.

With Ricky Hopwood replacing Prescott at scrum-half and Edward Vickers drafted in to fill the blindside flanker spot, Chinnor started the game well. For most of the first 20 minutes they were camped within Barnstaple's 22 but only came away with a penalty goal by James Cathcart. Tattersall should have been awarded a try after a rumbustious forward drive but the referee was unsighted at the clear and obvious grounding of the ball. Barnstaple evened up the score to 3-3 with a penalty goal from centre Josh Squire.

In the 20th minute, Chinnor competed well at the line out forcing the ball to be patted back awkwardly by the visitors. The ever alert Chinnor scrum-half, Hopwood, hacked through the loose ball and deftly picked it up to score Chinnor's opening try.

With most of the play in Barum's half, Chinnor managed to eschew a number of scoring opportunities with small mistakes at vital times. Chinnor's Matt Goode decided to take a hand in proceedings when he neatly sidestepped three Barnstaple players to touch down near the posts. With the added extras from Cathcart, Chinnor went in at half time 15-3 ahead.

With territory slightly more even between the two teams in the second half, Chinnor turned the pressure up but still managed to avoid scoring tries when opportunity beckoned. Just at the final point when a try seemed inevitable, a minor mistake occurred. If Chinnor can improve the accuracy of their execution, an opposing team will soon suffer from a very one-sided scoreboard in favour of Chinnor.

Chinnor's third and final score of the day came from an extremely well executed rolling maul. With the Chinnor lineout exactly on the Barnstaple 22m line, Chinnor caught and drove the ball. The speed and solidity of the maul was irresistible and Chinnor's number eight Mowbray touched down at the back of the maul. In the very difficult wind, the conversion was missed.

For the last 15 minutes of the match, Chinnor piled on the pressure and tries seemed inevitable. With Chinnor attacking in the corner, the ball broke to Barnstaple's left-winger Robert Elliott whose scorching speed ran the ball from the Barnstaple corner to the opposite Chinnor corner where he offloaded to flanker Mike Sumner who dubiously grounded the ball. With the conversion missing, the referee, Mr McWalter from Gloucester, blew for full-time and a Chinnor 20-8 victory.

Chinnor's second-half performance showed that they are approaching the form that seemed to have deserted them in the last few matches. Chinnor's back row was industrious with Ed Vickers outstanding both in the tackle and carrying the ball. The backs who, understandably with a ferocious wind, saw less of the ball than normal, managed to create several opportunities which were sadly missed.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Hopwood T; Goode T; Mowbray T; Cathcart C, PG
Barnstaple: Sumner T; Squire PG

Chinnor team: Williams, Corpe, Goode, Morgan, Serrano, Cathcart, Hopwood (Prescott 74), Winpenny (Pickett 73), Tattersall, Stock, Hutchings, Smith, Vickers, Hastings, Mowbray (Harrison 73)
Replacements: Pickett, Harrison, Prescott