CHINNOR suffered a fifth-straight defeat in National League 1 as Cambridge raced to a comfortable victory at Volac Park.

The hosts ran in five second half tries to claim a convincing bonus-point win in what had been a tight National League 1 encounter for 40 minutes.

It was a game of two halves, with the hosts scoring two tries against the run of play to lead 12-3 at the break.

Chinnor had dominated in possession and territorially in the opening 40 minutes, but Cambridge’s set-piece provided them with a platform in the second period, while we were ultimately punished for overplaying as we chased the game.

No doubt Cambridge were good value for their victory, but four tries in the final 14 minutes escalated the scoreline and 41-3 is harsh reading after what had initially been a positive response from the week before.

James Bourton’s 26th-minute penalty was our only score of the day and unfortunately it was the first time in three years we had not scored a try in a league contest.

On a positive note, it was great to see homegrown prop Bradley Harewood make his First XV debut off the bench and we hope this will be the first of many caps in the black and white.

Five changes – three positional – were made from the defeat at Darlington Mowden Park a week previously. Alfie North and Nick Smith returned to the starting line-up at blindside flanker and fly-half respectively, while Jason Worrall switched to full-back, James Bourton to outside centre and Willie Ryan to lock.

Chinnor approached the game with a positive mindset against a side which had not lost at home since November and, playing into a strong wind, we were arguably the better side for the majority of the first half.

We made a bright start when Smith cut through the centre of the pitch and had Cambridge stretched, but the hosts did well to recover and tackle left wing Dean Hammond into touch.

However, an early warning of what was to come perhaps arrived on nine minutes when the home side countered and hacked on. Smith won the foot race, but the ball became loose five metres out from our try-line and fortunately it was knocked on by a Cambridge player.

Two minutes later and we did concede against the run of play as scrum-half Luke Carter’s box-kick was charged down, leading to hooker Ben Brownlie gathering and diving over. Fly-half Harry Johnston’s conversion attempt hit a post, but the hosts led 5-0 in a contest they had seen very little of the ball in.

The players did not let that try affect them as they continued to enjoy more of the ball, but Cambridge stood up to the test.

An opening arrived on 23 minutes when Worrall sent a cross-field kick over to Kieran Goss and the right winger raced down his touchline. Kwaku Asiedu did well to repel the danger and the hosts won the resulting lineout, but it was an indication there were opportunities for Chinnor.

Smith continued to cause problems with his direct running and another fine break through the centre of the pitch on 26 minutes took us up to the 22. Cambridge were ultimately penalised on the floor and we elected for the three points with Bourton slotting it to reduce the deficit to two points.

We continued to have the upper hand as Hammond made a strong break down the left, before Fred Tuilagi and Soane Tonga’uiha carried well to take us up to the 22. However, the hosts again defended well, forced the penalty and cleared back into our half.

The resulting lineout then provided them with a platform to score their second try on 32 minutes. Johnston broke through midfield and we were suddenly outnumbered, with the fly-half feeding Asiedu to go over despite the best efforts of Worrall. Johnston added the extras to make it 12-3.

We then repelled late pressure from the hosts with North putting in a big hit on Asiedu to force the powerful winger to knock on as the half ended.

The players would have headed into the break in a positive frame of mind as they were well in the contest and had the wind to their backs in the second half.

However, indiscipline crept into our game and a series of penalties allowed Cambridge to pile on the pressure.

A third lineout five metres out on 47 minutes resulted in a try as Brownlie crashed over at the back of the driving maul for an unconverted try, extending their advantage to 17-3.

There was still plenty of time left, but the home side always had the upper hand in the set-piece, while handling errors began to creep into our game as we went in search of a score.

As the half wore on frustrations began to grow, while Cambridge were now enjoying the possession and territory we did in the first half.

The difference being they took their opportunities and they secured the four-try bonus point on 66 minutes when Matt Dawson powered over from close range. Full-back Joe Tarrant took over the kicking duties to make it 24-3.

We were now chasing the game, with Cambridge deadly in capitalising on our errors.

Strong carries from replacements Mark Darlington and Conor Brockschmidt took us up to the 22, but the hosts wrestled back possession to clear. They found touch with the kick, but nearly scored an interception try on half-way as they came close to capitalising off our quickly-taken lineout.

Cambridge did go on to score their fifth on 74 minutes when Tarrant converted his own try in front of the posts following strong carries from Willie Priestley and Dawson.

The home crowd were alive now, wanting more tries, and as we overplayed, that is what they got with Tarrant crossing for his second before Jake McCloud scored a 50m interception try.

It was a horrible way to end the game, but we remain positive and move forward to next week.

Cambridge: Tarrant, Green, Wand, Hema, Asiedu, Johnston, Duffin, Morley, Brownlie, Walker, Frost, Baxter, Bretag-Norris, McCloud, Maka.
Reps: Priestley, Peck, Dawson, Veenendaal, Henderson.

Chinnor: Worrall, Goss, Bourton, Yawayawa, N Smith, Carter, Tonga’uiha, Terry, A Hunt, Glynn, W Ryan, North, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: Lines, Darlington, Harewood, Brockschmidt, Titchener.