Chinnor 28-27 Cinderford ( att : 375 )

January 25, 2020

Chinnor and Cinderford have developed a keen rivalry over the past few seasons, starting in  2017/18 when the sides were challenging for the National 2 South Championship. Cinderford won the league that season, losing  only one match ( at home to Chinnor ), and their victory at Chinnor was a masterclass of “up-the-jumper” rugby that would have fans of the 1980’s Pontypool pack purring. Chinnor had to wait another season for promotion. 

The scheduling of the fixtures between the two sides has contributed to a bizarre sequence of results. Matches at Cinderford’s Dockham Road ground have been played early in the season, and Chinnor have narrowly won all four of them. Cinderford’s last two visits to Chinnor have been in late January and they have won both of them. Ominiously for Chinnor, today’s visit is in late January……

The Forest of Dean has a reputation for breeding tough rugby teams, and Cinderford do not disappoint the stereotype. Their forwards are formidable, with an experienced, gnarled front-row, lighthouses in the line-out and an athletic, mobile back-row. This season they also have the highly regarded George Barton from the Gloucester Academy at fly-half. Chinnor though have strengthed their pack this season so an intriging battle is in prospect.

Cinderford arrive today in 10^th place, but a win in their game in hand against relegation certainties Hull Ionians, would have them 5^th, one place below Chinnor. In the anyone can beat anyone league, Cinderford have beaten league leaders Richmond, but lost to rock bottom Canterbury.

The pitch is in surprisingly good condition given the recent rains, and the weather is dry but cold. However, the skies are grey and the floodlights are on well before the scheduled 3 pm kick-off.

Chinnor start strongly and their forwards dominate the early exchanges. 

From the early pressure, centre Laverock is tackled just short of the line but hooker Selway dives over to score against his former club and May converts.

After 10 minutes Selway scores again from a 5 metre line-out drive and with the difficult conversion successful, its 14-0 to the hosts.

Cinderford slowly get into the game and their rolling maul looks certain to score, but somehow it doesn’t cross the line. However, that is because Chinnor infringe and winger Hodson is sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes to reflect on the error of his ways. Cinderford score from the resulting 5 metre line out but the conversion is missed. 14-7

A mazy run from Cinders full back Tovey takes play back into the Chinnor 22, and when the ball is moved wide, from 60 yards away it looks like there is a knock-on, but the referee waves play on and ex-Chinnor player Jack Hayes scores for Cinderford. After consulting the touch judge the try is award, and Barton nails the conversion from out wide for 14-12.

Chinnor have a spell of pressure and Worrall runs to the Cinderford 22 but his blind inside pass is behind the two supporting players and goes instead to the mass of defenders. A penalty is then conceded and kicked to half-way. Cinderford win their line-out and Barton’s delicate chip with the outside of his foot over the on rushing defenders is gathered by Hayes to run in under the posts for his second try and give an easy conversion. There is now more to Cinderford's play than robust forwards and its 14-19 with about half hour played

Chinnor dominate the rest of the half, but Cinderford defend doggedly, twice it looks like Chinnor have crossed the line but somehow they are pushed back and eventually there is a knock-on, and Cinderford are able to clear and finish the half with the lead.

Chinnor start the second half strongly, and start to earn scrum penalties and steal the visitors line-outs. However, the try refuses to come and Cinderford’s defence continues to hold firm. They concede two penalties for high tackles, but the ref’s yellow card stays in his pocket, and the 5 metre line-out drives are held up. When Chinnor give the ball to the backs, too often they cut back inside to the covering tackler, and one close-in drive ends when a back row forward attempts an American Football style leap over the line of scrimmage but drops the ball.

After nearly 20 minutes of pressure, the dam is eventually breached. After two drives from a 5 metre line-out are stopped, prop Pieterse finally barges over close to the posts. Chinnor regain the lead 21-19.

Its now Cinderford’s turn to spend some time in the opposition half and when Chinnor infringe, they surprisingly decide to go for goal rather than kick to the corner, and Barton’s kick regains the lead 21-22.

Chinnor respond immediately but a promising move is ended by some lazy play by a forward who doesn’t get out of the way quickly enough, and the referee gives a penalty for blocking. Barton, whose kicking out of hand has been impressive all day, kicks from just inside his own half to the corner. From the line-out the forwards rumble over to extend the lead for Cinderford to 21-27 with just over 10 minutes to play. Crucially though, Bartons’ conversion from midway between the touch-line and the posts is off target.

The rest of the match is played in the Cinderford 22 as Chinnor pound away at the Cinderford line. With three Chinnor backs in acres of open space and hollering for the ball, the forwards continue to pick-up and drive and Ocampo, the substitute prop looks to have scored, but the ref deems he has been held-up. Cinderford’s scrum then gets in on the act and win two consecutive scrum penalties and with the clock clicking it starts to look like they will hold on for another away win at Chinnor.

But Chinnor win a Cinderford line-out and a swift backs move returns them into the Cinderford 22. A Cinderford put-in at a scrum flies out of scrum and under pressure they conceed a 5 metre scrum. Chinnor win successive penalties which are kicked to the corner, and finally the referee's patience runs out and a yellow card is  produced with what must be the final play to come. Cinderford take off their full back to bring on a replacement forward, but there is confusion when the full back returns to the pitch. Eventually, the full back has to go-off and play proceeds. After several drives are thwarted, the ball is finally trusted to the backs to take advantage of the extra man. Worrall looks to be about to score but is stop by a great tackle, but he is able to off-load to ex-Welsh international Harries to scoot over in the far corner. 26-27 with the difficult conversion to come.

With most of the Cinderford team charging the conversion, May holds his nerve and his kick from close to the touch-line  goes through the middle of the posts to end a cracking game and the home supporters go wild. 28-27 to Chinnor and a bonus point win !

Its tough on Cinderford but their sequence of January wins at Chinnor comes to an end in dramatic fashion.....

Highlights : https://www.chinnor-rfc.com/videos/chinnor-v-cinderford-highlights-155919.html

Slavia Prague 4-2 Zubr Prerov ( att : 1,298 )

January 18, 2020

It’s fair to say that Slavia Prague Hockey Club have fallen on hard times. Champions of the Czech Ice Hockey League in 2003 and 2008 they are now playing in the Second Division. On a trip to Prague in 2014. Mrs Fatbear and I saw Slavia play Brno in the modern 17,000 capacity O2 Arena with nearly 8,000 people in attendance. Since relegation in 2015, cross-town rivals Sparta Prague have taken the opportunity to move out of the dilapidated Tip-Sport Arena and into the O2, and currently sit top of the league and are playing to large crowds . Ice Hockey is the most popular spectator sport in the Czech Republic.

Slavia now play in their own small stadium built in the 1970s, which is part of a large Eden sport complex that includes the 23,000 capacity football stadium ( the name of which seems to change every few years due to sponsorship – it is now the Sinobo Arena ), rugby and field hockey pitches, an athletics stadium, a swimming pool plus the ice rink.

After a 52 game season, the top 6 in the second division take part in a complex play-off system with the two winners then going into a play-off league with the bottom two teams from the top division. The best two from this play in the top league next season.

Today’s visitors are Prerov, a small town in the east of the country not far from Olomouc, and according to both Wikipedia and Tripadvisor is famous for……..well, nothing !! Their Ice Hockey team though, HC Zubr Prerov, sit in second place in the table and are sponsored by a brewery.

Slavia are 7^th in the table, one place below a play-off position but 13 points behind today’s opposition, and a staggering 41 points behind runaway leaders Ceske Budejovice. However, they have two consecutive wins, including an overtime win at Ceske Budejovice.

The Zimni Stadion Eden has an official capacity of 4,000 but Slavia have only been attracting between 500 to 700 spectators in recent home games, with the only attendances over 2,000 being the visits of Ceske Budejovice.  However, the good recent form, plus a Saturday afternoon 3pm start with no other distractions attracts the sixth highest home crowd of the season. 

The stadium has seats on one side, and a steep terrace on the opposite side. Tickets are 130 KCS for seats or 90 KCS for standing, discounts of 10 KCS are available if tickets are bought on-line 24 hours before the match. 

The match programme is free but is simply a folded sheet of A4 paper with the squads, recent results, next fixtures and league table. It is a nice souvenir though. We buy tickets for the seats.

As temperatures are dropping to close to freezing we head for the bar/restaurant which is behind one end and has good views of the rink. We are advised we could have watched the game from the restaurant for the price of standing tickets, and are able to grab two seats directly above the goal. The service is good and the drinks flow. Next to us are three Germans Ice Hockey fans from just over the Czech border, who are in Prague after having seen a match at Liberec the evening before.

Outside the restaurant, the Slavia fans are making a lot of noise on the terrace, and there are around 200 away supporters at the far end of the terrace, although many of the visitors appear to be pre-occupied with queueing for drinks. 

There are also a fair number of people watching from the concourse above the terrace. The spectators in the seats mostly watch in silence.

Slavia start the match aggressively and take an early lead, but Presov gradually get into the match and equalise before the end of the first third. Slavia also start the second third quickly but after retaking the lead, slack marking leaves a Presov forward with a clear shot on goal, which levels the scores. However, Slavia continue to have most of the play and are able to covert two more chances for a 4-2 lead at the end of the second third, and the match sort of fizzles out after this. 

We leave a couple of minutes before the end to ensure we get the tram back to the centre of the city before the rush.

Despite the comfortable win, Slavia remain in 7^th and 2 points from a play-off position. Prerov slip to third

There is certainly a huge difference between Ice Hockey in the top and second division. The top league is very similar to the NHL, with dramatic entrances of players in darkness on to the ice, regular playing of the organ, and features during the breaks such as “kiss-cam” and other types of crowd involvement. There is none of this today, and in many ways the experience is more enjoyable. However, it is a bit like comparing non-league football to the Premiership !

Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou0-FvREs_s

Chinnor 17-21 Rams ( att : 1,020 )

January 10, 2020 - Friday Night Lights !

Chinnor hosted their first ever match on Friday night under floodlights with the visit of Rams, formerly known as Readingensians. Below the top two levels of English Club rugby matches played outside of Saturday afternoon are extremely rare but with Rams being agreeable to the switch, a unique occasion was at hand and a bumper crowd of over 1,000 justified the decision to move the timing of the match.

Despite being local rivals, relations between the two clubs seem to be pretty good and every Christmas and Easter a returning students match is played between the two clubs. Perhaps this is because both clubs have diligently and slowly worked their way up through the divisions so that this was now a match between the 26^th and 28^th best clubs in the country. This contrasts with the relations with Henley, traditionally the top club in Oxfordshire and who have looked down on other clubs in the area, but are now a division below Chinnor and Rams.

However, although the relations between these two clubs are cordial, the 80 minutes on the field are often spicy affairs !

Despite this being their first ever season in National League One, Rams have taken the division by storm to be joint top, and only in second place due to points difference. They have achieved this with essentially the same team that won National League 2 last season. Whilst they had earnt a reputation for a formidable pack which have scored a lot of tries from 5 metre line-outs and scrum penalty tries, there is also considerable talent in their backs.

However, let’s not forget though that this is only Chinnor’s second season at the level, and they remain on course for their highest ever finish in the league structure.

Before the match, Chinnor’s Director of Rugby spoke that whoever wins the forward battle will win the match, and for the first time this season, Chinnor’s two monster props, Parilli-Ocampo and Rees were fit to start together.

The first half is predominately an arm wrestle with plenty of reset scrums, and even retaken line-outs. The backs spend most of the half shivering in the cold January evening, in particular Rams number 11 looked cold.

The early exchanges are even, with Chinnor kicking a long range penalty in the 7^th minute for a 3-0 lead. Chinnor then have a short period of pressure before the Rams pack get to work. Gradually working their way down field, they earn a scrum close to the Chinnor line. It looked ominous for Chinnor as the Rams pack win two penalties, and with a possible penalty try and/or yellow card if repeated a third time, after several resets, the Chinnor pack hold up the Rams pack forcing the ball to played. However, after a series of drives the defence is breached and a straight forward conversion gives Rams a 3-7 lead. 

Rams dominate the rest of the half, and when Chinnor win a penalty and clear their lines, the line-out is lost and the Rams pressure continues. Just before half-time, a dangerous move from the Rams backs is thwarted with their full-back tackled into touch just before the line. Inexplicably, Chinnor throw their line-out far too long and Rams capture the loose ball and force their way over for a give-away try. 3-14

There is still time in the half for a restart and Rams fail to gather the kick cleanly and concede a line-out. Chinnor’s forwards press and a back-row forward bursts through the ruck to cross the line, but the ref had blown for a penalty fractions of seconds earlier. Chinnor kick the penalty for a line-out but are penalised for not throwing straight and the half ends. Rams’ lead is well deserved and I couldn’t recall a single handling error by them in the first half. HT : 3-14

Chinnor need a strong start to the half but it is Rams who score almost immediately when the hooker is found in space near the touch line and a smart inside pass enables the supporting flanker to cross. A good conversion takes the score to 3-21.

With things looking grim for Chinnor they start to play a more expansive game, and three minutes later, winger Worrall receives the ball just outside the Chinnor 22, breaks through the defensive line and has enough speed and stamina to beat the covering defenders to score a glorious try close to be posts to bring Chinnor back into the game at 10-21.

It is now the turn of Chinnor’s pack to start to get on top as they start to win the scrum penalties, and after a spell of pressure, flanker Tyas is driven over.

At 17-21 the game becomes end to end. Chinnor knock-on twice to end promising attacks, and when Rams rolling maul moves threateningly to the Chinnor line it is they who are penalised. 

After 65 minutes, Partington, the Rams full-back kicks a penaltyfrom hand over the dead ball line rather than for the 5 metre line-out and Chinnor are able to attack again. Although the scrum penalties against Rams start to mount up, their tremendous back row keep them ahead with two turnovers in their 22. 

Eventually Rams win a penalty and make their way into the Chinnor 22. With less than 5 minutes remaining they win a lineout and after going through several phases they knock-on with the try line beckoning.

Having spurned the chance to clinch the game, Rams then have to desperately defend as the last few minutes become frantic. Chinnor win a line-out in the Rams 22 and drive forward, but the Rams back row win another turnover. They fail to clear their lines though and Chinnor spread the ball wide but the last pass is high and knocked on into touch. 

The ref awards the scrum for the knock-on rather than a line-out, but with time up, all Rams have to do is win the ball and kick the ball off to win the match. However, the scrum disintegrates and to cheers of the home supporters, Chinnor are awarded the penalty. They kick to touch, and with a 5 metre line-out and a baying crowd, Rams steal the line-out to the delight of the large number of visiting supporters, the ball is despatched into the car park to end a cracking game.

Disappointment for Chinnor as their fightback narrowly fails, and Rams move to the top of table.

Overall, the Friday experience was a huge success ( apart from perhaps the result ! ) and if both teams are in the same Division next season hopefully it can be repeated. However, it would have to be at Chinnor as Rams do not have floodlights. Or perhaps Henley will get promoted………….

One final point, if the Friday night matches are repeated Chinnor ought to get more people serving behind the bars, they probably lost quite a bit of money from people not being bother to join the long queues !

  
Highlights : https://www.chinnor-rfc.com/videos/chinnor-v-rams-highlights-155413.html 

Oxford City 3-2 Hungerford ( att : 328 )

December 26^th, 2019

With the results of my previous two visits to Oxford City being 1-5 ( Solihull Moors in the FA Cup ) and 1-4 ( Maidstone in the league ) I said perhaps Oxford City should pay me to stay away as it was a long time since I had seen them win. However, tickets for the Boxing Day match against bottom of the table Hungerford were free if you booked before the match on their on-line ticket portal. It would be normal prices to pay on the day at the gate.

I ordered two free tickets but as Mrs Fatbear wasn’t feeling too well I ended up going on my own. At the turnstile my paper ticket was scanned and I was asked if there were 2 people. I wonder if the wife was counted in the official attendance, as I didn’t think there were that many people watching !

As I sometimes stay in Hungerford when working nearby, I have seen Hungerford a couple of times, although the last time was two seasons ago, and I have a bit of a soft spot for them. Essentially, they appear to be a Hellenic League team punching 3 divisions above their natural level.
  

Last season they stayed up with an away win on the last day, and have an inexperienced squad this season. I didn’t recognise any of the names, and from the brief pen pictures in the programme they all seem to have come from sides lower down in the pyramid.

Hungerford started the better, with City looking particularly sluggish and giving every impression of over-indulging the day before. After about 15 minutes a sloppy pass from a City midfielder was intercepted and the Hungerford winger ran clear, looked up and played the square ball to the unmarked centre forward, Ferdinand. His first touch was poor and for a moment it looked like a defender could tackle but then he shot into the corner for 0-1.

For the next 25 minutes both sides treated the ball like the proverbial hot potato and the old hospital radio commentary of “we’ve got it, they’ve got it, we’ve got it, they’ve got it…..” sprung to mind.

A possible turning point occurred just before half-time as a City defender slid in and cleared the ball for a corner, the linesman started flagging wildly for a penalty. The referee ignored him and gave the corner, he was much closer to the incident, which was the cue for the Hungerford bench to go ballistic. Bizarrely, the Hungerford manager launched in to the other linesman, who being at least 60 yards away, had no involvement in the decision. “That’s embarrassing” was shouted out at least half a dozen times.

Anyway, the corner was cleared, a long ball forward was stopped by a Hungerford defender’s knee but it fell kindly for City’s best player, Zac McEachrean, to control, take a step and then hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner from about 30 yards. Cue “That’s embarrassing” from a couple of home support around me. HT 1:1

City got a lucky at the start of the second half when a through ball was read by a covering Hungerford defender, but unfortunately for him his clearance hit Elliot Benyon ( ex Torquay, Crawley, Swindon, Wycombe and several Conference sides ) on the knee to go past the unprepared keeper for his first league goal for City.

Shortly after a Hungerford defender was trying to shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick but was out muscled and the ball was squared for McEachrean to make it 3-1. This was one decision that the away supporters might justifiably have cause for complaint as quite a few refs would have given a foul, and the linesman this time kept his flag down, even though the incident happened just in front of him.

The game was dull for the next 15 minutes when out of the blue Hungerford pulled one back with a thumping header from an out-swinging left footed free-kick for 3-2.

The last 20 minutes were very entertaining as City’s fragile defence struggled to cope, and as Hungerford pressed forward, City also missed a couple of good chances to settle the match. 

I stood amongst some of the Hungerford supporters for the last 20 minutes as their side was attacking the end where the exit is.  I‘d guess they brought about 50 fans to the game.  There were some very amusing one-eyed comments, everything was the ref’s fault, even though I thought he had a good game part from perhaps the decision for the third goal. One Hungerford supporter was even keeping track how long the ball was out of play when Oxford had the throw-in, goal-kick or free kick, “so that was seven minutes eight seconds of time wasting and I bet the ref doesn’t add that on”.  He didn’t.

Another Hungerford supporter mused "I suppose I have got value for money", and then laughed when he remembered his mate had to pay to get in.

Anyway, City were able to hang on for three points to move within 3 points of the play-offs ( or seventh as I prefer to call them ! )

Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uavuU1fTgjE