The last match of the season was a somewhat haphazard affair with Chinnor blasting to an early lead and then holding out from a sustained Dings attack in the last quarter to win 38-21.

Chinnor got off to a flyer when Jack Hayes, in his last game for Chinnor, pounced on a loose ball from a lineout and scorched under the posts for the opening try with less than a minute played. Keohane added the extras for a 7-0 lead. Three minutes later, Ben Manning charged down a clearing Dings kick and dotted the ball down just before it crossed touch in goal to increase Chinnor’s lead to 12-0. The importance of these early tries became apparent late in the match.

On the 9th minute, Dings, from an attacking scrum on the Chinnor 22, used a well executed backline ploy to confuse the Chinnor defence and allow Oliver Reyland a score under the posts. Woodrow’s conversion bought the deficit back to 12-7. The referee, Mr Leal, lost patience with a series of Chinnor offences and sin binned Christian Ostberg. Just before the break, Chinnor went further ahead when Ian Stock barrelled over for a converted try to put the visitors 19-7 ahead at the break.

On the 52nd minute, Keohane made a mazy centre field break and looked destined to score when pulled down metres from the line. He had the presence of mind to immediately pop the ball up for the supporting Boughton to dot down. Five minutes later, Robbie Martey, in the tram lines on the half way line showed some Billy Whizz foot skills and sheer pace to score in the corner. Keohane banged the conversion over from the touchline to give Chinnor a 31-7 lead. Chinnor kept the pressure up and from a shortened lineout, the ball was worked to prop Stock in midfield who showed a startingly rapid turn of pace to slice untouched through Dings defence from 25 metres out. Keohane converted for a 38-7 lead.

Undaunted, Dings Crusaders started to take the game to Chinnor causing the visitors to commit a series of offences ending in a driven lineout for a try with Michele Canulli touching down. Woodrow did the necessary to close the gap to 38-14. Chinnor’s Cano was sin binned and, from the resultant scrum, Dings walked the scrum over the line for their third converted try, courtesy of Vincent Murrell, three minutes from time. Chinnor held on against the Dings resurgence, grateful for the early tries, for the 38-21 victory and sixth place in the league.

Chinnor scorers:
Tries: Jack Hayes (01 Min) Ben Manning (05) Ian Stock (39, 60 Min), Reece Boughton (52) Robbie Martey (57)
Conversions: Ed Keohane (01, 40, 58, 61 Min)