Match report courtesy of the Bristol Post
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Clifton-come-second-best-big-spending-Chinnor/story-24006081-detail/story.html

CLIFTON director of rugby Darren Lloyd offered no excuses following his side's six tries to two home humbling by big-spending Chinnor, conceding that the better side had won the match.

The home side were within touching distance of their Oxfordshire-based opponents at the break, but the constant barrage of big ball carriers eventually took its toll on Lloyds' brave, yet somewhat outmuscled charges.

Lloyd said: "I don't think we played badly, and we didn't have any issues with the way the game was officiated.

"The fact is, Chinnor were a better side than us today – plain and simple. They like to offload out of the tackle, and were able to do so because their big runners got in behind us.

"But we showed a lot of spirit and kept going until the end. We'll regroup now for another tough derby at Lydney next Saturday."

Clifton, in truth, didn't really do much wrong, and showed bags of enthusiasm, energy and commitment.

Wing Ben Foley looked dangerous on the counter-attack, prop Charlie Bullimore and hooker Sam Evans were ever-willing ball-carriers, while fellow front-rower Rupert Freestone tackled himself to a standstill for the cause.

But the visitors, who reportedly have a budget to match clubs in the GKIPA Championship, were simply too big, too strong, too fast and too classy for Lloyd's battlers.

However, it was the home side that started the brighter, with centre Danny Wells to the fore. Clifton took the lead on six minutes, when Wells linked with his midfield partner Will Pomphrey, who in turn released fly-half James Mackay to squeeze in under the uprights for a try he also converted.

But Chinnor, fielding former Bristol Rugby duo Junior Fatiolofa and the outstanding Alfie To'oala, who was their greatest threat with ball in hand, began to come back into the reckoning. Stand-off Ed Keohane glided over for an unconverted try after 14 minutes, and was on target with the conversion following Jamie Townsend's touchdown eight minutes later.

Scrum-half Frank Jones was the next to cross the whitewash for the visitors – Keohane again adding the extras to stretch Chinnor's lead. But two penalties from Mackay ensured Clifton were only six points adrift at half-time.

But the visitors as good as sealed the contest within ten minutes of the restart. Wing Reuben Haile barged over for an unconverted try, closely followed by prop Joey Picket, Keohane adding one conversion to make it 31-13 to the visitors.

Clifton continued to run from all areas in an attempt to salvage something from the game. Freestone was driven over from a five-metre line-out on the hour mark, but it was the visitors who had the final say – Koehane ghosting over for a converted try to bring his personal tally to 18 points