B team report

The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the Chinnor U13 B's hit the pitch for the first match of the season, but the metaphorical clouds gathered almost immediately. Marlow put the pressure on early and kept it on, capitalising on every mistake Chinnor made and turning it their advantage. Despite some cracking tackles from Cam and Ally and a lovely kick from Charlie P to regain some much needed ground, Marlow repeatedly forced Chinnor back to within 10 yards of the try line and set up camp. Marlow scored the first try of the game after some textbook "draw the man and pass down the line" play, and this put a short-lived bit of fight back into Chinnor. Charlie P pulled off a spirited chip and chase but followed it with a clothes line move which earned Chinnor a penalty. Then followed an odd period where Chinnor seemed to be moving in slow motion, standing back and watching the ball go by with expressions of bemused surprise as Marlow scored their second try. One could see that the forwards were putting in the effort in the scrum, but against their Marlow counterparts they had all the power of a 14 yr old Trebant and the first half ended after Marlow's third try with a 17- 0 scoreline.

Chinnor still hadn't woken up by the start of the second half so Marlow took the opportunity to score a fourth try. Charlie P tried the chip and chase move again which took Chinnor into Marlow's half for the first time. Chinnor perked up at this with Greg commanding during the line out, Harry digging for the ball in the scrum like a terrier and a lovely intercept by Charlie P taking the ball within 5 yards of Marlow's line. Marlow tried to push back but Chinnor was having none of it. Chinnor's less than competent ball handling was offset by Greg's spirited tackling and Adam's command of the pitch but in the end it was Tom B, head down and legs pumping, who took the ball over the line by sheer force of will to score Chinnor's one and only try of the match. With one minute left to go, Greg's driving and Hooky's tackling couldn't prevent Marlow from scoring a final try to bring the closing score to a disappointing 29 - 5.