Chinnor overcame Cleve by 48-13, scoring 8 tries in the process.

With continuing fly half problems, Mark Chase on his return to the club, filled the 10 shirt for Chinnor and scored 18 points in the process.

Cleve, from Bristol, were first on the scoreboard with a penalty goal from Gareth Knox in the 6th minute. Chinnor’s response was a try from Ed Vickers two minutes later. On the 12th minute, scrum half Hopwood nipped through the centre of the defence to outstrip his pursuers and score under the posts. With Chase’s conversion, Chinnor went 12-3 ahead.

Chase then increased Chinnor’s lead to 19-3, converting his own try which resulted from some good forward pressure. A few minutes later, the visiting scrum half, Josh Mortimore, was yellow carded by referee Brendan McGaffney who proved to be a very capable referee throughout the match. However, Chinnor could not profit from the absence and indeed Cleve scored wide out when Nathan Huntley took advantage of some poor defending to reduce the difference to 19-8. Shortly before half time, Chinnor’s Goode showed power and pace to burst through Cleve’s defence to touch down under the posts. Chase’s conversion saw Chinnor go in at halftime 26-8 ahead.

Shortly after the start of the second half, Mark Chase again slid through the home defence for a try. His conversion put Chinnor 31-8 ahead. A few minutes later, a sweeping backs move saw the slippery Corpe score Chinnor’s sixth try. Chinnor then began a punishing series of forward drives, resulting in Mowbray’s try in the corner.
Shortly afterwards, visiting scrum half Mortimore incurred the wrath of referee McGaffney for injudicious use of the boot. Mortimore’s second yellow card was automatically converted to a red and he took no further part in proceedings. Chinnor’s Prescott was then given a 10 minute rest for not releasing in the tackle.

As before, Mortimore’s absence stimulated the Cleve effort and a strike against the head at a scrum 10 metres from the Chinnor line allowed replacement Roach to easily score Cleve’s second try to reduce the arrears to 43-13. The final score of the day came in the 79th minute when Hopwood, now playing full back, danced through the defence for Chinnor’s 8th try.

Though Cleve are struggling in the league, their play did not always suggest it, particularly in the scrum. Although scoring 8 tries, Chinnor perhaps might have scored even more if all final passes had gone to hand. Hopwood had a busy and penetrative match and Goode was at his bashful best. Final praise should go to referee Brendan McGaffney from the Liverpool Society for the quality of his refereeing.

Scorers:
Chinnor: Vickers T: Hopwood 2T: Chase 2T, 4C; Goode T; Mowbray T; Corpe T;
Cleve: Knox PG; Huntley T; Roach T

Chinnor team: Williams (Prescott 47), Corpe, Goode, Angell, Morgan, Chase, Hopwood, Stock, Cawston, Winpenny (c), Jackman, Smith, Vickers, Hastings (Harrison 47), Mowbray
Replacements: Tattersall, Harrison, Prescott