Rugby: Chinnor close in

From the archive, first published Tuesday 21st Mar 2006.

Chinnor outmuscled Weston 17-8 at Kingsey Road to secure a potentially decisive victory in the South West 1 promotion race.

In a match characterised by very strong wind, the home side weathered Weston's first half pressure and hit them with a sucker punch just before the break.

The conditions meant this game was always going to be won up front, but Chinnor's three tries also showed they had a cutting edge largely absent from Weston's play.

Three points now separate leaders Chinnor from Weston, who host John Brodley's men this Saturday, and a win in Somerset would all but seal National League rugby.

Weston had the wind behind them in the first half and home supporters must have been alarmed when fly half James Reid used it to slot a second-minute penalty.

Kicking the ball clear was not really an option in the conditions, so Chinnor had to keep it tight and maul their way away from danger.

The hosts only had two real scoring chances before half time, but took both in style.

On five minutes, Morgan Thompson fed fly half Matt Buckley from the base of the scrum and he cut inside to beat a wrong-footed defence and touch down.

A minute before the interval centre Sam Soane broke through in midfield and found Darren Oxley, who fed winger Eric Brown on the right.

Brown's pace took him clear and Chinnor had a decisive 10-3 advantage, but in between those two scores, it was almost all defence.

Reid missed two penalties and sent a drop goal attempt wide, but his team were constantly repelled by some great tackling.

Flanker Raakai Maxwell dealt out more than his fair share of these and did well to stop Weston centre TJ Madamombe on 20 minutes.

Winger Matt McQuaid spilt the ball in the tackle when Weston looked set to score in the corner, while prop Tim Mathias knocked on when well placed.

Flanker Mike Denbee was denied a likely try when referee Richard Stegell spotted a forward pass.

Chinnor spent most of the second half on the attack, but could manage only one further try on 43 minutes.

A rolling maul set up the platform for Brown to slice through after Buckley's well-weighted pass and the fly half converted.

Weston scrum half Ricky Jones came close with a blindside break, but they didn't really threaten until the final ten minutes.

Chinnor were twice held up, while Soane was penalised for crossing when clear and Buckley knocked on just five metres out.

Home prop Joe Winpenny and Weston flanker David Cook were sin-binned as the tension increased.

Tolich made a fine cover tackle on replacement Kevin Hobbs, but Chinnor could not stop centre Alec Hughes crashing over on 76 minutes.

It proved a consolation, and in the end, Chinnor could have won by more.

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