MIKE Cartmill’s late try ultimately decided a tight game at Kingsey Road as Chinnor suffered a third-straight loss in National League 1.

On reflection, Caldy looked like a team no doubt full of confidence off the back of seven successive victories, while we continue to navigate a testing period.

Despite not making the most of having the wind at our backs in the first half, we recovered from a 10-0 deficit at the break to lead 12-10 after 50 minutes, thanks to tries from debutant Max Titchener and Kieran Goss.

But Caldy withstood our purple patch to take control of the contest with their attritional play and off-load game proving effective. Two Ben Jones penalties put them 16-12 in front before replacement Cartmill’s try on 77 minutes sealed the victory.

Despite some solid defensive work and fine attacking play in periods, that late score ensured we were left empty-handed for the second successive game, leaving us seventh in the table and without a home win since November.

With Ben Manning (concussion), Caolan Ryan (concussion) and Nick Smith (shoulder) out injured, Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe was forced into changes from the side which lost to Blackheath two weeks ago.

Titchener made his debut at fly-half, while scrum-half Luke Carter made his first start since November after recovering from a broken jaw. In the pack, Alex Hunt, Conor Brockschmidt and Alfie North came into the side, while Keston Lines, Cameron Terry and Andy Berry came on to the bench.

The conditions were dry and sunny, yet the strong Chinnor wind would have its say on this contest, with the majority of the play down towards the Showground end.

We elected to play with the wind at our backs in the first half, but we were unable to use the conditions to our advantage.

Caldy took the lead after just two minutes when their first foray into our half following a fine counter from full-back Elliot Gourlay led to a penalty in front of the posts. They opted for the points and winger Ben Jones was on target to give them a 3-0 lead.

They then went close to extending their advantage moments later when they hit us on the counter. Willie Ryan made a fine carry on their 22, but suddenly the ball was in Caldy hands and centre Michael Barlow raced over half-way. Fortunately, he ran out of gas and Goss had plenty left as he made a fine tackle to stop what had looked like a certain try.

We went on to enjoy the majority of the territory, with the strong wind hampering Caldy’s ability to clear their lines. However, we were unable to create any clear-cut try-scoring opportunities, while we elected to kick to the corner when in hindsight the points would have been the better option.

Unfortunately, it proved to be a case of two entries into our 22 and two scores for Caldy – who had defended well all half - as we reached the interval.

After mauling their way forward off a lineout, the visitors attacked on the blind and scrum-half Joe Murray did well to avoid two tacklers and dot down. Jones impressively added the extras into the strong wind as they led by ten points at the break.

Some say the conditions died down in the second half, but we were certainly the better team for the opening ten minutes of it and we took our chances.

We put some good passages of play together and had Caldy pinned back in their own half. Patient play took us up to their 22, before Willie Ryan was stopped just short. Oli Curry then plunged over close to the posts, but a penalty had already been awarded and we were over the whitewash seconds later as Titchener glided through a gap to mark his debut with a try. Centre James Bourton stepped up to add the extras and cut the deficit to three points on 45 minutes.

We were now in the ascendency and a couple of minutes later we led 12-10. Bourton made a fine break and was hauled down just short, but fellow centre Jason Worrall spotted Gossy in acres of space on the right and he sent a delicious crossfield kick over to his compatriot to score. The try went unconverted, but we now had our noses in front.

Unfortunately, that lead only lasted for two minutes as a Jones penalty saw Caldy edge ahead by a point as they went on to dominate territorially.

Chinnor defended manfully to restrict Caldy to just another Jones penalty with nine minutes to go and with their lead at only four points, there was still hope of a victory in what had been a tight contest.

We had an opportunity from the restart as a penalty allowed Titchener to kick us up to the 22. We made good ground off the lineout and shifted the ball left and towards the Clubhouse, but we were penalised on the floor and then marched back a further 10m for back chat.

The chance was gone and unfortunately Caldy made sure of the victory, erasing our losing bonus-point in the process.

Strong scrummaging deep in our half proved the catalyst for the match-winning score as replacement scrum-half Thomas Anneurin popped a quick ball into Cartmill who ran a fine line to go in under the posts. That left Jones with the simples of conversions to end what proved to be another disappointing day.

Chinnor: Bourton, Goss, Worrall, Yawayawa, Hammond, Titchener, Carter; Tonga’uiha, Robinson, Hunt, Brockschmidt, Curry, W Ryan, North, Tuilagi.
Reps: Chilvers, Lines, Terry, Berry, Walsh.

Caldy: Gourlay, Royle, Titherington, Barlow B Jones, Hinchliffe, Murray; Aigbokhae, Hearn, Rushton, S Dickinson, Gerrard, Crowe, Ridgway, JJ Dickinson.
Reps: Clarke, Higginson, D Jones, Aneurin, Cartmill.