The home side never lost the lead in a bruising National League 1 fixture but the visitors, who started the weekend bottom of the table, made sure they were in a game.

Chinnor needed a late Laurence May penalty to ensure there was no late drama, but they were left with sore bodies as a number of players were forced off injured.

George Oliver suffered a knee injury just 26 minutes into the contest, while the hosts were forced to play centre Danny Barnes at flanker and hooker Dan George in the second row in the final half an hour.

Chinnor made eight changes for the fixture, three positional, as they targeted an immediate response to last weekend’s defeat at Richmond.

Scrum-half Ashby made his debut, while winger Josh Hodson was handed a first start of the season following his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Lock Dancer and Barnes were promoted from the bench, while Oliver replaced captain Carl Kirwan, who was rested, at open-side flanker.

There was also a reshuffle in the backs, with Chris Elder moved to full-back, Jason Worrall to outside centre and Will Harries to right wing.

Former Samoa captain Ofisa Treviranus led the side in Kirwan’s absence and they made a fast start.

May was off target with an early penalty, but it did not take long for Chinnor to open the scoring.

Elder brilliantly rode a challenge and fed Dancer who raced over to dot down under the posts. May converted to make it 7-0 after seven minutes.

Chinnor soon extended their lead to 12 points when they capitalised on a Hull error.

Ashby pounced on a loose ball from a ruck and fed Treviranus, who sent Hodson racing down the left.

The winger made up 30m before feeding Dancer and the lock dived over in the corner for his second. May was unable to add the extras from the touchline.

It was proving to be a hotly-contested affair in hot conditions and Oliver was forced off with a serious-looking knee injury.

But Chinnor always looked threatening and extended their lead to 19-0 on 33 minutes when Ashby crossed, May converting.

However, Hull responded well and got on the scoreboard just before half-time, when Tim Wakadu dived over, Seremaia Turagabeci converting, to cut the home side’s lead to 12 points at the break.

Chinnor made a double change at the interval, with Charley Robinson replacing Tom Fidler at loose-head and Sam Yawayawa coming on for Barnes at inside centre.

But Hull started the second period like they ended the first and Ben Bell was driven over for an unconverted try on 50 minutes to reduce the arrears to seven.

Chinnor needed to take back control of the game and they did just that moments later.

May did brilliantly to break the gain line and found Treviranus, who sent Ashby diving over under the posts for his second try. May added the extras to make it 26-12 after 54 minutes.

But just when Chinnor thought they had re-established control, Hull offered a reminder there was still life in the contest.

Due to injury, the hosts were forced to field five props in their pack, while Barnes operated as one of the flankers, but sustained pressure from the visitors led to Ben Whyte finding a gap to dive over. Marco Fummo converted to reduce the deficit to seven points with six minutes to play.

Hull were enjoying all the territory and Chinnor needed to gain control as the game entered the final stages.

They did exactly that and were able to breath a sigh of relief when May kicked an 80th-minute penalty to make sure of victory.

Chinnor: Elder, Harries, Worrall, Barnes, Hodson, May, Ashby, Fidler, Selway, McNulty, Thomas, Dancer, Treviranus, Oliver, W Ryan.
Replacements: Robinson, George, Manning, Yawayawa, C Ryan.

Hull Ionians: Colbourne, Ogunwole, Tincknell, Thundercliffe, Waqadu, Turagabeci, Fummo, Laverick, Stephenson, Bell, Makin, Peters, Mewburn, Sanderson, Torkington.
Replacements: Booth, Peace, Choudhury, Whyte, Flinn.