Chinnor 33-3 Old Elthamians ( att : 252 )

February 8, 2020

Old Elthamians are another one of Chinnor’s old foes from their National 2 South days, with OEs pipping Chinnor to a place-off place in the 2016/17 season by virtue of number of games won. Although Chinnor won both encounters between the two sides and had a better points difference, the rules were the rules, everyone knew them at the start of the season, and OEs went on to beat Sale FC in the play-off to earn promotion to National 1.

With Chinnor achieving promotion the following year, rivalries were renewed last season, and the game at Chinnor was typically close, with Chinnor scoring from the last play of the game, and the conversion from a difficult angle gave them a 20-20 draw.

In October, OEs inflicted Chinnor’s most comprehensive defeat of the season. However, these are now uncertain times following the death of benefactor Kobus Paulsen at the end of December, who not only bankrolled the 1^st XI through the regional divisions, but also helped to establish a hugely successful club running 5 senior teams, as well as women, colts and minis sides.

Rumours abound that funds have been frozen until the end of the season, and that players are free to leave, and first team regulars have recently been sighted at Rosslyn Park, Blackheath and Tonbridge Juddians. Despite this, club spirit appears to be good as OEs have battled to narrowly win their last two matches and lie 7^th in National League 1, nine points behind 4^th placed Chinnor.

OEs only field five players from the first match against Chinnor this season in today’s matchday squad of 21, but there are only 4 changes from their win over Darlington Mowden Park the previous Saturday. Talented scrum half Ollie Claxton is surprisingly named on the bench. However, Chinnor can’t afford to take them lightly.

Today’s kick-off is at 3pm, and the Scotland  vs England game will be shown in the club house afterwards. Hopefully the match will have finished by the time events at Murrayfield have commenced. The counter attraction of this, and the Ireland vs Wales match on TV no doubt contributes to today’s lower than normal attendance.

Storm Ciara is yet to arrive in Oxfordshire so the conditions at kick-off are dry with blue skies overhead, but there is a stiff breeze giving a chill in the air.

Chinnor kick-off with the wind behind them and a knock-on by OEs gives Chinnor a chance to kick to the corner. The rolling maul from the line-out is held-up and OEs win the turnover, but they are not able to clear their lines and Chinnor continue to pin them into their 22.

With 12 minutes on the watch, Chinnor full-back Harries breaks through the defensive line but is tackled just short of the try line. The forwards rework the ball and prop Rees is able to go over.  The simple conversion gives a 7-0 lead.

The restart is the first time OEs have been into the Chinnor half. They win a penalty on halfway but their line-out midway into the Chinnor half is stolen by the home side, who win a penalty at a ruck. The resultant line-out on the OE 22 is won but after a series of drives the ball is dropped to relieve the pressure.

The next piece of danger arises when an OE clearing kick hits their own player and rebounds towards the OE line. As Chinnor pile-in, OEs are awarded the penalty.

On 27 minutes, Chinnor look to have knocked on just inside the OE 22, but the ref signals the ball was knocked back by an OE player. Play is then stopped by the referee as an OE player lies stricken on the ground looking badly injured, which gives two OE players the chance to make derogatory comments to the touch judge about his lack of intervention, who calmly points out that the referee was right by the incident and so much closer to see than him ( the touch judge ).

Minutes later Chinnor win a scrum penalty and from the 5 metre line-out, several drives are stopped by the OE defence. Eventually, the ball is released to the backs and winger Worrall crosses in the corner. May converts for 14-0

OE infringe straight from the kick-off and again play is back in the OE 22. Chinnor go through the phases but again drop the ball.  Chinnor win a penalty at the scrum, and decide to go for a scrum five metres out rather than opt for the line-out. They win a penalty at the scrum, then another and then another. Then the scrum is reset, and then reset again, before finally, OEs win a scrum penalty and they kick the ball off to end the half. HT 14-0.

OE barely got out of their half in the first 40 minutes but had defended manfully to restrict Chinnor to just two tries. But with the strong breeze in their favour in the second half, they should surely come more into the game ?

Indeed, OEs start the half strongly, and soon Chinnor are penalised for offside, to give Gibbons a simple penalty to reduce the deficit to 14-3.

At the restart, OEs knock-on, but at the resulting scrum they push Chinnor of the ball. Play though remains in the OE half, and Chinnor keep ball in hand patiently moving play from side to side. OE’s defence continues to hold firm and eventually the ball is spilled, but OEs waste the opportunity by kicking the ball long so play returns to the OEs half. 

Chinnor again enjoy a period of possession before OEs win another penalty which is kicked with the breeze into the Chinnor 22 to set-up a promising position. Again though, they lose the line-out, and when Chinnor spread the ball wide, the winger Hodson races down the touchline before being tackled, and OEs launch a counter attack which ends with a knock-on on halfway.

With 20 minutes to go, and the game still in the balance, OEs are pinged for offside, and Chinnor return to the OE 22. They win the line-out, and the referee signals a penalty advantage. As he brings his whistle to this mouth to award the penalty, back-row forward Ryan bursts through and has enough momentum to stretch and place the ball over the line. May again converts and Chinnor supporters can start to breathe more easily at 21-3.

OEs kick-off long and from a scrum in the Chinnor 22, a penalty is awarded to the home team. “Sir, you are blind” is the observation from an OE forward, who is rewarded by an extra 10 metres for the penalty. Chinnor win their line-out and after a few phases, winger Worrall breaches the defensive line and makes an arching run to the right-hand corner for the bonus point. The difficult conversion from the touchline into the wind hits the bar and stays out. 26-3 with 70 minutes played.

There’s a feeling of déjà vu when OEs concede a penalty close to the Chinnor line, and more lip to referee costs another 10 metres. There is time for a comedy moment when Southworth, Chinnor’s prop makes a line break, but doesn’t have the pace to outrun the covering defender, and when Chinnor win another OE line-out, the move ends when the referee is in the way and knocks on !

Just before the end, a yellow card is shown to an OE lock, and from the 5 metre line-out, Chinnor hooker Selway is driven over. May’s conversion hits a post but this time bounces between the posts. It is the last act of the game with the referee blowing for full-time, 33-3.

Such a convincing score-line did not look likely at half-time, or early in the second-half. However, Chinnor were much more adept at playing into the wind, and the pressure exerted eventually told. OEs spirited defence was admirable, but ultimately they were not able to hold onto possession for long enough, and their line-out was a weak link. 

Highlights : https://www.chinnor-rfc.com/videos/chinnor-v-old-elthamians-highlights-156498.html