CHINNOR scored four tries worthy of the highlights reel – but only returned home from Somerset with a bonus point as Taunton Titans came out on top at Veritas Park.

It was a predictably high-scoring affair on a glorious spring afternoon, with ten tries scored in the National League 1 encounter.

Jason Worrall, man-of-the-match Ben Manning, James Bourton and Kieran Goss crossed in an entertaining, yet frustrating game played on a rock hard pitch.

Titans’ big and powerful runners were too often allowed to let loose, while both sides were guilty of handling errors on a day when actually more than ten tries could have been scored.

On a positive note, Jacob Ham, Bradley Harewood, Max Heathman and Alfie North picked up valuable First XV minutes, while Manning scored a contender for Try of the Season as he finished off a sublime team move. Kieran Goss, well he did what Kieran Goss does and scored another wonder try from his own half.

Our four tries earned a bonus point, but it could have been two had Taunton not crossed late on to extend their advantage past seven points.

Chinnor headed into the game off the back of three wins from their last four games, and initially made five changes from the XV which beat Leeds Tykes. Loosehead prop Keston Lines, flanker North and inside centre Sam Yawayawa came into the starting line-up, with Bourton moving to 13 and Worrall to the right wing. Another change was needed on the day as Mark Darlington had to withdraw due to personal reasons, so Charley Robinson started at hooker.

Titans began the game positively with the ball in hand, albeit on the half-way line, but they were punished for two handling errors.

The first time, Smith kicked up to the 22 after Taunton were penalised at the resultant scrum and we took the points following another infringement, with Bourton on target from the tee on five minutes.

Two minutes later and we extended our lead to 8-0. Another handling error led to a scrum and a fine kick behind had Taunton scampering back. Full-back Frankie Dart got there first, but his attempted clearance was brilliantly charged down by North and Worrall picked up the loose ball to dive over for an unconverted try.

Our intention to kick was clear, but Taunton seemed happy to play through the hands and find an edge.

They scored their first try on 15 minutes when fly-half Lewis Webb snuck through a gap and offloaded to Ratu Vakalutukali who went over close to the posts, leaving Dart with a simple conversion.

Titans had their tails up and were continuing to enjoy the majority of the possession. Their next attack was launched by powerful No 8 Sam Prior, who rampaged forward as our tackle height proved too high. They did crash over the whitewash a handful of phases later, but no try was given – a warning shot.

Having fended off another Titans attack we then scored a sublime team try worthy of its place in any highlights reel. Smith and Worrall combined to break over half-way, before we looked left. Moving the ball wide quickly, Hammond showed lovely hands on the touchline to give Manning a delightful inside pass and the skipper did the rest, scampering over from 20m for our second try of the afternoon. Bourton stepped up to add the extras and we now led 15-7 after 31 minutes.

We had put ourselves in a good position despite not producing our best rugby, but it was Taunton who led at the break, courtesy of three tries in the final five minutes of the half.

Left wing Sam Mercer found himself on the right touchline and finished neatly in the corner for an unconverted try to cut our advantage to three points.

They came straight back at us from the restart and, with Hunt down receiving treatment, there was going to be a gap somewhere. Vakalutukali exploited it and charged over from a good 30m, with Dart’s conversion making it 19-15 to the home side.

The first half was not over and Titans had not finished either. A swift move across the pitch led to Harry Tarling breaking the gain line and he offloaded to Mercer, who sprinted down the left and over for his second. This time Connor Banks slotted the conversion as Titans headed into the break with an 11-point lead.

It was a disappointing end to the first 40 minutes, but there was plenty in the game and reason to be hopeful. We started the second period the better, but the final pass was found lacking as Smith, Worrall and Bourton each broke over the 22.

We were dominating territorially, but Taunton were next to score. After soaking up the pressure, they countered with two hacks forward and Hammond did well to win the foot race. However, they made their territory count as another strong carry from Prior helped them to gain metres, before they drove over close to the posts. Gary Kingdom stepped up to convert and make it 33-15 after 52 minutes.

Our response was impressive as quick hands released Bourton, who shot through a gap just inside the Titans half and there was no catching him as he went on to convert his own try and pull us back to within 11 points.

However, a Kingdom penalty on the hour then put the hosts two converted tries to the good, before a number of stoppages were needed as we lost Smith and Hammond to injury in quick succession.

Titans had another opportunity to put the game well beyond our reach on 69 minutes, but Kingdom dragged his effort wide and perhaps there was hope of a comeback.

That theory was further fuelled with six minutes to go, when replacement Goss scored another of his wonder tries as he charged through a gap just inside his own half and dotted down close to the posts to give Bourton a simple conversion.

We were now within seven points, but Taunton would have the final say and when driving over for their sixth try they also took away one of our bonus points.

A great effort from the boys, but it just wasn’t our day.

Taunton Titans: Dart, Down, Tarling, Keay, Mercer, Webb, Banks, Rodd, Spurdle, Ncube, Swain, Leworthy, Vakalutukali, Wright, Prior.
Reps: Gosling, Norton, Williams, Chapman, Kingdom.

Chinnor: N Smith, Worrall, Bourton, Yawayawa, Hammond, Walsh, Carter, Lines, Robinson, A Hunt, Glynn, Brockschmidt, North, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: Harewood, Heathman, Ham, Goss.