CHINNOR Falcons endured a tough night as a strong Navy side powered to victory at Kingsey Road.

Our Second XV came up against a well-drilled and physical outfit who looked well set for next month’s Inter Services Championship.

Our Falcons included a mixture of Senior Squad players and Wildboys, with 11 homegrown players featuring and one of those in Andy Berry scored our only try of the evening.

While the Navy were too strong and deserving 50-7 winners, it was good experience for what was the most part a youthful side in our 11th competitive friendly of the season.

The visitors made a lightning start and opened the scoring after four minutes. After fielding the kick-off, Gar Rees’ superb 50/22 put them straight on the attack, before a fine lineout and variety in attack, which included a strong set-piece, hard lines and quick hands, resulted in Tam Lindsey’s unconverted try.

The match evened itself out, before the Navy capitalised on turnovers to head into the break with a 17-0 lead.

Rees’ excellent nudge was chased by Henry Hughes and the subsequent penalty was kicked to the corner where Ben Priddy went over from the driving maul on 14 minutes.

Seven minutes later and Seti Raumakita broke down the right from his own half and fed the supporting Rees who dived over under the sticks. Jake Hanley added the extras to complete the scoring in the first period.

We had shown signs of troubling the Navy, with Andrew Prosser showing fine feet and offloads at full-back, while a lineout five metres out towards the end of the half was stolen.

The Navy had undoubtedly played some fine rugby in the first 40 minutes and that continued after the break.

Jarrad Hayler dotted down for a converted try to make it 24-0 after 44 minutes, before two yellow cards in quick succession saw the visitors temporarily go down to 13 men.

We took advantage as our our pressure took its toll. Shifting the ball from left to right and back towards the clubhouse, No 8 Berry found his way over the whitewash. Max Titchener stepped up to expertly convert from out wide as we deservedly got on the scoreboard.

Unfortunately, the Navy seemed to find another gear and added to their try-count.

Hayler dived over for his second after an extended period of pressure, before Rory Mitchell crossed out wide following Hayler’s break from half-way, as we trailed 36-7 after an hour.

Dan Sutter then strolled in from 15m and Hayler completed his hat-trick from another counter-attack.

A difficult evening for our Falcons, but the boys battled until the end and did not make life easy for our visitors, who are clearly in a good place heading into their fixtures against the RAF and Army.

Falcons: Prosser, Scott, Grose, Taylor, Leach, Titchener, Ham, Harewood, Heathman, Robinson, Gilbert, Thomas, Golding, Fleckney, Berry.
Reps: Church, Hanson, Cornish, Hackshaw, Smith, Lowe.