CHINNOR fell to back-to-back defeats in National League 1 as Blackheath claimed a deserved win at Well Hall.

We were never really at the races as the hosts scored three tries in blustery conditions to the delight of their home faithful.

It is the first time we have failed to claim any points from a fixture this season, while we have slipped to seventh in the table and 16 points behind second-placed Caldy.

With the score at 10-10 at the break and the wind at our backs in the second half, many at Well Hall felt Chinnor were the better placed side.

However, we struggled to contend with Blackheath’s running rugby, and a high tackle height allowed quick ball far too often as the home side were good money for their victory.

On a day when we also lost Ben Manning to concussion after 34 minutes, the only positives were an improved scrum and Kieran Goss’ try on his 125th appearance for the Club, but ultimately our attack lacked the structure we have seen previously.

Five changes, one positional, were made to the XV which started the last-gasp defeat to Birmingham Moseley the previous week. Four of the alterations came in the forwards, with Charley Robinson starting at hooker on his return to the Club and Leicester Tigers loanee Tim Hoyt making his debut at tighthead. Soane Tonga’uiha switched to his favoured position of loosehead, while Ben Glynn came into the second row. In the backs, winger Dean Hammond made a welcome return to action following nearly four months out due to concussion.

Electing to play into the wind in the first half, we made a positive start with the ball in hand and a fine offload from centre James Bourton found Robinson, but the hooker’s pass was just too far in front of Jason Worrall.

Had the pass stuck the outside centre would have had a clear run down the right wing, but that was to be our best opening in the first 10 minutes as we contended with the blustery conditions.

We were certainly the better side, but Blackheath could have broken the deadlock on 12 minutes only for fly-half Jake Hennessey to drag his wind-assisted penalty from the half-way line wide.

It was not 0-0 for too much longer as successive penalties allowed skipper Caolan Ryan to kick us down the pitch and - after we had mauled a good 15m forward off a lineout - ultimately into the corner.

We made the most of the opportunity. Pick and goes off the lineout, sucked players in and there was space for Goss to dive over in the corner. Caolan Ryan stepped up to attempt to convert from the touchline – a trend as all three of our tries were scored out wide – but his effort sailed wide.

We had deserved our 5-0 lead after 16 minutes, but it did not take long for Blackheath to respond. Jake Lloyd broke through a gap on his right wing to pull the hosts into our half, before an almighty collision left Manning on the ground in the middle of the pitch. Blackheath continued to attack and Lloyd, drifting in off his wing, jinked through a gap to dot down under the posts and give Hennessey the simplest of conversions.

Our response was positive, but again the final pass let us down as Bourton’s offload to free Goss on the right wing lacked accuracy. However, we kept the pressure on and a couple of fine carries from Tonga’uiha and Willie Ryan took us into the 22.

Awarded a penalty, we kicked to the corner and an unstoppable driving maul sent Manning crashing over. This time Caolan Ryan’s conversion attempt fell just short in the strong wind, but we now led 10-7 after 29 minutes.

From there on we never really had any more authority in the game, with Blackheath controlling the remainder of the half with the wind at their backs.

After suffering a second knock, vice-captain Manning was forced off with concussion and, although some good defensive work prevented the hosts from scoring a second try, they did level the contest up at 10-all through a Hennessey penalty.

Having played into the wind in the opening 40 minutes, we would have taken the half-time scoreline, however we were never able to fire in the second period while the conditions certainly died down.

Blackheath had already shown their ability to cut through with quick offloads and strong carries, and their second try was an example of this. A flowing attack dragged our players inside and Lloyd cut in off his wing to race through a gap to beat full-back Nick Smith and dive over under the posts. Again, Hennessey appreciated the easy conversion to put the home side into a 17-10 lead after 43 minutes.

Buoyed by that score, the hosts were now looking good value for their seven-point advantage, making us defend the full width of the pitch with their expansive style.

However, we were by no means out of the game and took our next opportunity on 51 minutes. Our first entry into the 22 in the second half led to our third try, with No 8 Fred Tulagi going over from another driving lineout. Unfortunately, it was scored in the corner, giving Caolan Ryan another tricky conversion, which he saw sail just wide.

Just when we would have hoped to put the hammer down, Blackheath struck again just moments later. It was a similar story to their second try as the hosts offloaded in the tackle, with quick ball creating space and allowing Hennessey to scamper down the right for a try he very nearly converted as his attempt came back off a post.

Trailing 22-15 after an hour was not a disaster – there was still plenty of time – and we had the chance to reduce the arrears almost immediately, but Caolan Ryan was unable to slot a long range penalty similar to Hennessey’s early in the first half.

When we did kick to within 10m on 64 minutes, though, there seemed to be an acceptance or perhaps expectation – even from the crowd – that Chinnor would score again.

But we didn’t. We got the drive on, and looked good for our bonus-point try as pick and goes had sucked in Blackheath. Hoyt looked to have forced his way over, but no try was awarded and loose play off the resulting scrum saw us lose momentum – the chance was gone.

Had we scored off that lineout the result may have been different, but instead the hosts were buoyed to have resisted the pressure and were back on the attack.

More quick ball allowed them to make up ground and suddenly they were on our 22. With advantage being played, they looked wide for Marcus Kershaw to dive over, but the pass was forward and they went back for the penalty which Hennessey slotted. Their lead was now ten points with eight minutes remaining.

We now had some serious work to do and our best opportunity was a half-chance at the very most as it would have taken some serious magic from Goss.

After Bourton had done well to stop a Blackheath counter, we tried to catch them off guard, with Goss chasing after a clearance kick. A fine touch took him past one player and he collected the ball on the bounce to race over half-way. We all know what Gossy is capable of, but this would have been something else as he had a lot of work to do with players catching up and no teammates in support.

Ultimately, he was tackled by Kershaw and Blackheath turned the ball over to the delight of the home supporters, who were celebrating a victory just moments later.

Blackheath: Foster, Lloyd, Newey, Burcham, Kershaw, Hennessey, Claxton, Williams, Morris, Collins, Stradwick, Taylor, Dugmore, Owen, Holland.
Reps: Fry, Boye, Dass, Daly, Spencer.

Chinnor: N Smith, Goss, Worrall, Bourton, Hammond, C Ryan, Walsh, Tonga’uiha, Robinson, Hoyt, Curry, Glynn, W Ryan, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: Chilvers, A Hunt, Brockschmidt, Carter, Yawayawa.