CHINNOR dug deep in atrocious conditions to secure a gritty, hard-fought away-day victory at Plymouth Albion.

The players produced a disciplined and professional performance to bring back four points to Thame.

It proved to be a real battle in the Plymouth mud, with the evergreen Soane Tonga’uiha leading from the front with a sensational man-of-the-match performance.

Willie Ryan scored our only try of the game, before superb game management and our eagerness to keep the scoreboard ticking along from the boot ensured the victory.

It was certainly a day for the forwards – they were all outstanding – and were up for everything that was thrown at them. Another player who deserves a mention is Max Heathman, who came on for his First XV debut after working extremely hard on his rehabilitation and has impressed for our Falcons.

It all means our unbeaten record at Brickfields - a notoriously tough place to go - remains intact, while back-to-back victories has lifted the confidence amongst the squad and they will now head to Rams next Friday night with plenty of belief spirit.

Five changes – four positional – were made from last week’s bonus-point victory, with lock Conor Brockschmidt, prop Alex Hunt and hooker Charley Robinson coming into the pack, while wing Josh Hodson made his first start since the end of January.

After a chilled morning, which involved a morning explore of Plymouth, the players were ready for battle. It had been rather blustery during our walk, but it was nothing compared to the gusts at Brickfield which whipped from one end to the other.

That would eventually bring rain within about 15 minutes of the second half and what was already a soft pitch became extremely muddy.

Inevitably, the conditions led to an error-strewn opening to the game, but with the wind at their backs Plymouth were to enjoy the majority of the territory.

The home side had the opportunity to open the scoring on nine minutes, but Conor Eastgate’s penalty attempt hit the right post.

Neither side were really able to make any progress, while Plymouth twice kicked the ball dead from inside their own half as the gusting wind from the clubhouse down to the car park got hold of the ball.

However, our opportunity arrived on 22 minutes. Back-to-back scrum penalties gave us the platform to attack and Nick Smith kicked to the corner. Our maul struggled to make any progress, but pick and goes proved effective and, after Fred Tuilagi was stopped short, Ryan drove over. Bourton then stepped up to slot the conversion and put us into a 7-0 lead.

Another chance materialised six minutes later and this one would have been quite special. Having defended so well on our own 22, Luke Carter launched a counter with a sublime kick which sent Hodson racing forwards. The winger then offloaded to Kieran Goss who raced over half-way and the 22 before he was dragged into touch.

That was to be our last opportunity of the half as Albion piled on the pressure. We stood up to everything they threw at us, with a particularly earth-shuddering tackle from Tuilagi being the highlight of a fine defensive shift.

Another half opportunity presented itself just before the break as Jason Worrall shot through a gap and over half-way. He managed to offload to Dean Hammond just as the tackle came in, but the move ultimately broke down. Nevertheless, we headed into the break with a seven-point lead.

By now the wind was even stronger and gusts more frequent, but the good news was we had it at our backs in the second period.

Plymouth arguably started the half the better, but again we held firm and Tonga’uiha’s fine jackal put to bed one particular attack.

However, they did cross the whitewash on 48 minutes after winning back possession just inside their own half. The result was winger Shea Cornish racing over half-way and diving over for their opening try. Thankfully, he had been forced wide and therefore the conversion was a tough one, with Tom Putt’s attempt just off target.

Our lead was now only two points, but we went on to slowly stretch it to 11.

Albi held firm as we patiently went through the phases on their 22. However, just as it looked to be breaking down, Carter correctly decided points were priceless in this weather and sent over a delightful drop-goal from 25 metres to make it 10-5 after 52 minutes.

Two Bourton penalties then further extended our advantage to 16-5 as the match reached the hour mark. It was clear there would not be many try-scoring opportunities in this game, so taking your points when you can seemed sensible.

We had scrummaged well throughout the game, with Tonga’uiha, Hunt, Robinson, Keston Lines and Bradley Harewood looking like they were in their element in the front row.

It wasn’t really a day for the backs, and Plymouth’s second try was all about their forwards as Jamie Salter plunged over from a powerful maul. Putt stepped up to add the extras, with his conversion attempt heavily assisted by the wind as our lead was cut to four points.

With 11 minutes to go, suddenly there was hope amongst the home crowd which had been kept quiet all afternoon by the nature of Chinnor’s performance.

Any hope they had disappeared a couple of minutes later, though, as we brilliantly stole an Albion lineout, before Smith’s superb 50/22 sent us deep into their half. The resulting lineout did not work out, but the territory was crucial and moments later Bourton slotted his third penalty of the half to put us seven points ahead.

That was the end of the scoring and there was still time for Jack Walsh to send a fine kick deep into the Plymouth half to ensure we had the territory with seconds to go. It cemented a professional and disciplined victory in awful conditions – a textbook away performance and a job well done.

Plymouth Albion: Duncan, Cornish, Parsons, Jones, Ducker, Eastgate, Clement, Rukhadze, Salter, Pullinger, Sprangle, Clemson, Clarke, Mills, Stupple.
Reps: Wilkinson, Southworth, Chapman, Nowell, Putt.

Chinnor: Goss, Hodson, Worrall, Bourton, Hammond, Smith, Carter, Tonga’uiha, Robinson, Hunt, Glynn, Brockschmidt, W Ryan, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: Lines, Harewood, North, Heathman, Walsh.