CHINNOR started the new year with one of their best victories of the season as they left Cinderford with an impressive bonus-point win.

Dockham Road is a notoriously tough place to get a result, but a gritty defensive display and clinical attack helped to bring home a well-deserved five points.

Despite not playing since December 11 due to Covid, the festive break and a bye-week, we led 21-10 at half-time, thanks to tries from Kieran Goss, Fred Tuilagi and Oli Curry.

Josh Hodson then crossed for our bonus-point try before Cinderford hit back in another blockbuster of a fixture between the two sides.

Our lead was cut to just two points with seven minutes to go, but any nerves were put to rest when Nick Smith dived over to put the result beyond doubt.

The victory has helped us move up to sixth in National League 1, but most importantly to within nine points of second place, which is now occupied by Caldy, with two games in hand.

Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe made ten changes, two positional, from the side which started against Bishop’s Stortford before Christmas.

Smith returned at full-back after recovering from a shoulder injury, while James Bourton, Curry, Hodson, Keston Lines, Cameron Terry, Soane Tonga’uiha and Tuilagi were named in the XV.

Having not played a league match in five weeks, it was to be seen whether we would see a refreshed or rusty Chinnor.

From the kick-off, Cinderford controlled possession and territory after a succession of early penalties, but we were more than up for the fight.

Just when the hosts looked to assert their authority, the ball popped out the side of a fifth-minute maul on our 22 and No 8 Tuilagi was quickest to react to hack the ball upfield. A foot race then ensued and there was only one winner with Goss in hot pursuit. The winger kicked the ball on again and collected it to dive over close to the posts to give inside centre Bourton an easy conversion.

One chance, one try, it was clinical stuff, and the players had already shown they were up for the defensive battle.

Although starved of possession we had already shown our eagerness to play expansive rugby and use the full width of the pitch.

However, there were signs of danger which needed to be overcome. Willie Ryan brilliantly tapped the ankles of Reece Boughton as the Cinderford fly-half looked set to race through a gaping hole, while the first scrum of the match proved to be a sign of things to come as we were driven backwards.

The penalty count against was continuing to go up, but we impressively resisted the home side’s pressure, especially their driving mauls. Our seven-point lead was reduced in the 19th minute when Boughton slotted a penalty, but we were soon down the other end.

Our second opportunity arrived on 23 minutes and we took it. Terry ran a fine line off the back of the lineout and offloaded for Tuilagi to force his way over under the sticks. Bourton again added the extras to make it 14-3.

Again our defence needed to be on top as we resisted Cinderford’s pressure, but the concession of penalties allowed the home side to keep the hammer down.

Their first try did arrive on 32 minutes when Jamie Forrester was sent over following a strong driving maul. Boughton added the conversion to reduce our lead to four points.

While the hosts continued to dominate at scrum time, we made our third visit to our opponent’s 22 count to extend our advantage to 21-10 at half-time.

Spreading the ball wide quickly off a lineout, Goss made the most of the space to make up a good 15m and enter the 22. After going through the phases, Walsh burst through a gap and offloaded to Curry for the big lock to dive over. Bourton stepped up to slot the conversion and ensure we headed into the break with an 11-point lead.

Despite having less of the ball, we were deserving of the scoreline and we went on to control the opening stages of the second half.

Cinderford continued to win the scrum battle, but it didn’t seem to matter as we extended our advantage to 26-10 on 50 minutes.

Jack Walsh’s 50-22 gave us field position and we made the most of the opportunity. Spreading wide from the maul, Jason Worrall then fed Hodson on the left and the winger showed good feet to cut inside and dive over for an unconverted try.

The defensive effort was still there for all to see and big hits from Tuilagi and Soane Tonga’uiha were highlights in a particular phase of play which saw Cinderford lose possession.

The home side were then reduced to 14 men moments later when skipper Harry Hone was sin-binned, but we were unable to make the extra player count.

A couple of penalties allowed Cinderford to move up the pitch and mount pressure, while it was soon 14-a-side when Curry was yellow-carded. After several scrums they eventually went over when George Angell dotted down at the back of a scrum and Boughton converted to make it 17-26 on 65 minutes.

Hopes of a comeback had risen amongst the home crowd and they crossed again with seven minutes to go when Clive Stuart-Smith went over after consistent pressure following a lineout. Boughton stepped up to add the conversion and reduce our lead to just two points.

Now, we all know Chinnor have been involved in tight matches throughout this season and we were all set for another tense climax. However, we controlled the final stages beautifully and kept the ball superbly in the Cinderford half.

The match was then put beyond doubt on 77 minutes when we scored our fifth try. Bourton raced through a gap just over half-way and offloaded to Worrall, who was tackled about ten metres out. Advantage was played for an indiscretion on the floor and Walsh found Goss with a fine crossfield kick, with the winger feeding Smith to cross the whitewash. Bourton’s conversion attempt sailed wide, but our lead was now seven points.

We went on to control the rest of the game superbly to see out the whistle and record a deserved victory.

Cinderford: Wilcox, Baldwin, Forrester, Boulton, Sheldon, R Boughton, Austin, Porter, Taylor, Elliot, Jerrum, Gilbert, Dancer, Angell, Hone.
Reps: Brockett, J Boughton, Preece, Evans, Stuart-Smith.

Chinnor: N Smith, Goss, Worrall, Bourton, Hodson, C Ryan, Walsh, Lines, Terry, Tonga’uiha, Curry, Brockschmidt, W Ryan, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: O’Neil, Veness, North, Yawayawa, Crowley.