MARK Darlington’s last-gasp try saw Chinnor finish their home campaign with a memorable victory over local rivals Rams.

In front of a bumper crowd under the Friday Night Lights, the hooker drove over in virtually the last play to mark his 50th cap with a moment to savour.

It was a mental game, a fabulous advert for National League 1, and the latest exciting chapter in this derby.

Thirteen tries in a topsy-turvy contest was more than enough entertainment for the 877-strong crowd and Chinnor left it late to complete a superb comeback in a contest where the lead changed hands eight times.

Our tries were also scored by seven different players – Jason Worrall, Ben Manning, Willie Ryan, Josh Hodson, Fred Tuilagi, Luke Carter and Darlo – as we recorded a fourth-straight home victory, matching our best winning run in the third tier of English rugby.

Two changes were made to the XV which started against Bishop’s Stortford, with Hodson replacing the injured Kieran Goss on the left wing, while Jack Walsh returned from illness to start at fly-half.

The first couple of minutes were a little quiet with a couple of reset scrums, but it soon burst into life and perhaps a fifth-minute counter which saw Hodson charge down the left and barge through two tacklers was a sign of things to come.

Moments later and we took the lead through Worrall. We mauled forward from the 22 and No 8 Tuilagi crashed towards the try-line. He was just short, but there was plenty of space out wide and Walsh threw a long pass out to the right where Worrall dived over for an unconverted try.

By the 12th minute, however, Rams had replied and led 7-5. A quick-tap penalty five metres out proved our undoing, with Robbie Stapley finding his way over close to the posts. Former Chinnor youngster Sam Nicholls added the extras.

It had been quite a start, but we were in for plenty more action and we were back in front after 17 minutes.

An overthrown lineout fell nicely for Darlington, who kicked out of hand like a natural fly-half and chased down the retreating Rams players, forcing them to find touch hurriedly. We launched an attack off the set piece, and it was almost a carbon copy of our first try. Strong carries from our big ball carriers did the damage, with Tuilagi and Bradley Harewood making metres, before Walsh threw a long pass out to the right wing where skipper Manning dotted down. Full-back Nick Smith expertly converted from the touchline and we led 12-7.

Although we had to wait until the 32nd minute for the next score, this contest was gripping. Superb defence saw off a Rams counter, with Carter brilliantly stopping Stapley, before Worrall stole the ball out wide as the visitors attacked from one side to the other.

We then had a chance of our own from deep, again our big ball carriers doing the damage as we found ourselves within ten metres. However, Rams overturned possession and box-kick cleared with the ball ultimately knocked on as we looked to counter straight back.

It was end-to-end stuff, with both sides playing with the shackles off – what more would you expect in a derby between two teams with only pride to play for.

Rams were next on the scoreboard and unfortunately it came from a Chinnor error as we attempted to offload in the tackle just inside the opposition half and left-wing Henry Bird intercepted to storm over unopposed. Nicholls converted in front of the posts to make it 14-12 to the visitors with eight minutes of the first half to go.

However, we were again to hit back and lead by five points at the break. A ruck penalty on half-way allowed Smith to kick us up to the 22 and that provided us with the platform to launch another attack. Again, Tuilagi, Conor Brockschmidt and Harewood made metres, before Ryan crashed over from close range. Smith added the extras as we ended a pulsating half with a 19-14 lead.

We all needed a bit of a breather, but there was more drama to come as three tries were scored in the opening six minutes of the second period.

Rams started the half fast and Bird hacked on down his left wing. The ball looked to be going dead, but he refused to give up and made it just in time to dot down for a wonderful score. Nicholls continued his fine day from the tee to put Rams 21-19 in front.

However, we hit back again with what was arguably the try of the match. A swift backs move led to Sam Yawayawa throwing a long pass out to Hodson and the left winger did the rest. Storming down his flank from 30m out, he then cut inside and breezed through the opposition for a sensational score. Smith stepped up to convert and again we led – this time by 26 points to 21.

If you needed time to catch your breath, you were not going to get. Straight from the restart, Rams replied again, with Bird catching the kick-off to sprint over out wide and complete his hat-trick. Nicholls added the extras as the visitors had their noses in front at 28-26.

It was a gripping, entertaining, humdinger of a derby and it showed no signs of stopping. Rams seemed to now have momentum and on 52 minutes they opened up their biggest lead of the evening – nine points. Picking and going from the 22, Tom Vooght then carried well as we found ourselves on our own try-line, before centre Stevie Bryant stretched over. Nicholls again converted as they led 35-26.

It was evident by now that you needed to make your entries in to the 22 count and we were definitely doing that. The yo-yo nature of this contest was showing no sign of stopping and from the kick-off we piled on the pressure. A driving lineout proved the outlet for our fifth try of the evening as Tuilagi was sent crashing over for his ninth score of the season. It went unconverted, but we had reduced the deficit to four points with 57 minutes on the clock.

With an hour gone we had already witnessed ten tries, but this contest is often decided late on and that again proved to be the case.

We found ourselves camped in the Rams half with 15 minutes to go, but the visitors countered again off an interception. Conor Hayhow made his way to within 10m, before Hodson brilliantly caught him up and made a wonderful try-saving tackle. However, we were outnumbered and when the ball was flung wide, Drew Humberstone had the easiest of scores. Nicholls, perfect all night from the boot, then saw his conversion attempt hit a post as Rams’ lead was nine points when it could have been 11.

That did not deter Chinnor and again they dug deep to, for the fifth time in the match, reply to a Rams try. The big ball carriers continued to do the damage, before George Grose was just stopped short. However, Carter – sharp as ever – sniped over to the delight of the home crowd. Smith landed his fourth conversion of the evening as the deficit was now only two points with ten minutes remaining.

Both sides continued to go toe-to-toe, but it was the home side who were finishing on top.

After looking after the ball in our own half, we launched an attack out wide, with Manning’s offload finding Worrall in a bit of space on his right wing, but Rams recovered well to tackle him into touch.

We continued to put the pressure on and the match-winning try arrived with just seconds to go. Manning ran a fine line to burst through the defence and over the 22, before we forced the visitors back on their try-line. Pick and goes were the order of the day and Darlington, with a helping hand from Ryan, was driven over for his third score in as many home games, sparking jubilant celebrations – you could see what it meant to every Chinnor player, coach and supporter.

The try went unconverted, but it did not matter as we now led by three points with no time for the visitors to respond. The restart was duly caught and Carter booted the ball out of play to confirm our first win over Rams since January 2018.

Euphoria. What a way to sign off at home.

Chinnor: N Smith, Worrall, Grose, Yawayawa, Hodson, Walsh, Carter, Lines, Darlington, Harewood, Glynn, Brockschmidt, W Ryan, Manning, Tuilagi.
Reps: Tonga’uiha, Heathman, North, Berry, Crowley.

Rams: Humberstone, Rossiter, Bryant, Hayhow, Bird, Nicholls, Cole, Marris, Hayman, Baker, Taylor, Thomson, C Stapley, Vooght, R Stapley.
Reps: Henderson, Englezos, Schroter, Leicester, Englefield.