CHINNOR were denied what would have been an impressive victory as Cinderford struck late to edge a pulsating encounter at Kingsey Road.

The National League 1 contest had everything, with the 605-strong crowd entertained from start to finish.

While Chinnor’s free-running rugby caused plenty of problems, Cinderford were as clinical as ever in the set-piece, leading to a fixture full of momentum swings.

This contest never fails to disappoint, it’s a certainty that it will go down to the wire and today it was Cinderford who came out on top with Clive Stuart-Smith’s converted try on 78 minutes proving the match-winning score.

Despite the defeat, Chinnor can take plenty of positives from a game which saw them push one of the early in-form sides to the wire in what was a fine advert for third tier rugby.

Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe made five changes, two positional, from the team which started against Sale a fortnight ago.

In the pack, hooker Charlie Fleckney, and No 8 Fred Tuilagi made their debuts, with Willie Ryan shuffling to lock in the absence of Ben Glynn.

Kieran Goss was handed his first start of the campaign in what was his 112th game for the Club and his inclusion at full-back saw Oscar Heath move to the right wing.

Despite losing a little bit of momentum with no game last weekend, we started the brighter and deservedly took the lead through James Bourton’s 11th-minute penalty.

It didn’t take long for Cinderford, who had already shown their power at scrum-time, to hit back. A driving lineout proved unstoppable and Nathan Taylor went over, Reece Boughton converting, as they led 7-3.

There were so many momentum shifts in this battle and the early scoring proved a sign of what was to come.

We brilliantly replied just three minutes later. Picking and going off a lineout pulled in Cinderford and Luke Carter fed an incoming Bourton who rampaged over. The inside centre then converted his own try to put us 10-7 ahead.

Cinderford were still winning the battle up front and unfortunately there was a sense of inevitability about their second try.

With Boughton kicking to the corner, we struggled to stop the ensuing driving maul and a penalty try was awarded which also resulted in a yellow card for Tuilagi.

Despite being down to 14 men we looked comfortable for the rest of the half and Bourton’s second penalty of the afternoon cut the deficit to 13-14 at the break.

Just as we were at the start of the opening 40 minutes, we were on the front foot early on in the second period and, after Rob Hardwick and Keston Lines were just stopped short, Willie Ryan dived over – Bourton converting – as we opened up a six-point lead after 47 minutes.

We certainly had our tails up and some lovely hands released Tuilagi on the left whose one-handed offload was so close to finding Dean Hammond who would have been certain to cross. However, Cindy won the loose ball and cleared their lines.

How crucial that try would have been on reflection, but there seemed to be no stopping the visitors up front as two more driving lineouts resulted in further scores.

Stuart-Smith profited from the first of those on 57 minutes – Boughton adding the extras – and although Bourton quickly put us back into the lead with a penalty just after the hour mark, the visitors struck again.

Willie Ryan was sin-binned for blocking a Cinderford runner after the ball became loose and the Gloucestershire side again went to the corner. This time, they attacked on the blind and Mike Austin profited to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Of course, there was to be more drama and the try of the game soon followed on 66 minutes.

Nick Smith marked his Chinnor debut with a fine solo effort, racing through a gap, throwing a fine dummy and diving over for an unconverted try to the delight of our Chinnor Family.

However, Cinderford’s response was impressive and they went on to dominate the final proceedings.

Even with Ryan back on the pitch, the pressure was taking its toll and Bourton was forced to dot down in our own in-goal area after Carter’s box-kick had been charged down.

The new rule means a drop-kick restart, but that went out on the full and Cinderford had the option of a scrum or lineout. They chose to scrum and when the ball popped out the back, Stuart-Smith profited to dot down, Boughton converting in front of the posts.

There was still two minutes to go, but Cinderford ultimately controlled the latter stages well to edge a thrilling battle.

Chinnor: Goss, Heath, Grose, Bourton, Hammond, C Ryan, Carter, Tonga’uiha, Fleckney, Hardwick, W Ryan, Brockschmidt, North, Clementson, Tuilagi.
Reps: Chilvers, Lines, Berry, Walsh, N Smith.

Cinderford: Hemming, Baldwin, Forrester, Boulton, Andrew, Boughton, Austin, Porter, Taylor, Elliot, Jerrum, Shields, Lane, Ryan, Hone.
Reps: Brockett, Mullis, Preece, Evans, Stuart-Smith.