October 15, 2022
Two weeks ago, these diaries featured a side from Plymouth as Southern League Plymouth Parkway ventured to Oxfordshire to play Oxford City in the FA Cup. Today it was the turn of the City’s rugby side, Plymouth Albion, to make the journey to Oxfordshire, to play Chinnor in National League One.
These diaries covered the corresponding fixture last November, when Chinnor appeared to be cruising to a comfortable victory, leading 36-22 with 4 minutes remaining on the clock. However, three tries in less than 5 minutes at the end saw a remarkable turnaround as Chinnor squandered three opportunities to close out the game, and Plymouth snatched an unlikely victory. Mercurial wing Alex Dicker was the hero for Albion with three tries, including the dramatic final two. Fortunately for Chinnor, Dicker was not in Albion’s squad today.
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Today is the third meeting of these sides at Kingsey Road, with Plymouth have won the other encounter 17-10 in 2018/19. Conversely, Chinnor are unbeaten at Brickfields, winning 26-11 in their first ever match in National League One in 2018/19, and 19-12 in 2021/22, with a 10-10 draw in 2019/20. So, whilst an away win today might be supported by history, Chinnor had a similar pattern against Birmingham Moseley, but ended the sequence with a home win three weeks ago.
Plymouth have been the league entertainers so far, with an average score after 5 games of 32-32, and every side having won the try bonus point in each game. Victories have been registered against two of the current bottom three, away at Taunton ( 33-26 ) and at home to Esher ( 45-29 ) whereas as losses occurred at highly thought of Cambridge ( A 28-34 ) and Cinderford ( 28-41 ), and at home to last season’s runner-up Sale ( 24-27 ). As a result, they started the day in 6th place, thanks to 7 bonus points won.
Chinnor recorded their first victory in four by overcoming Birmingham Moseley but followed up with a disappointing 24-27 away loss to Leeds Tykes, a game they would have targeted for a victory, to leave them in 11th place with just one win in 5 games. Consequently, today’s game could be a key indicator as to their likely fortunes for the rest of the season.
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off time was dry but with a stiff breeze, and temperatures were around 15 degrees.
Chinnor kicked-off with the wind at their backs and took just two minutes to open the scoring. Strong runs by back-row forwards Ryan and Brockschmidt took play deep inside the visitors 22 and when Albion they infringed at the ruck, Tom Price had an easy penalty kick for a 3-0 lead.
Chinnor were quickly back in the Plymouth half, but a dropped ball in midfield after winning a line-out led to a hack forward, and after a Chinnor knock-on, Albion had the scrum 10 metres outside the Chinnor 22. Plymouth’s attacking moves were then twice halted by knock-ons of their own.
With 12 minutes played a good move by Chinnor’s backs saw wing Jason Worrall burst down the touch-line, but the ball was spilt in the tackle close to the try line. Plymouth worked the ball into the Chinnor half and after Chinnor offended at a ruck, the visitors kicked to the corner. The rolling maul was effective and hooker Jamie Salter was credited with the touch-down, and with fly-half Tom Putt converting, it was 7-3 to Plymouth after 15 minutes.
Chinnor’s response was to force a line-out on the Plymouth 22, but the throw wasn’t straight, and Albion won a penalty at the ensuing scrum. The visitors were soon on the attack but several drives close to the Chinnor line were repelled and eventually the home side won a penalty at a ruck to clear their lines.
With 25 minutes on the clock, Chinnor won a line-out close to the Plymouth 22, and spread the ball wide to Worrall on the wing, who made a break only to be tackled short of the line. The ball was reworked and after the first pick up and go was stopped, lock Oli Curry picked up to place the ball over the line. With Tom Price having to go off injured, Nick Smith’s conversion from near the touch-line was excellent so the score moved to 10-7 to Chinnor.
Another Chinnor line-out was adjudged to be not straight, and then Albion won a penalty for a high tackle and headed for the corner again. The rolling maul from the subsequent line-out appeared to have been stopped, but Plymouth retained possession and scrum half Jack Oulton snipped over for his side’s second try. The attempted conversion drifted wide, to leave the score 12-10 to the visitors.
Chinnor finished the half strongly, first with the back-row showing good hands in a sweeping move into the Plymouth 22, but an offence was committed at the ruck. Chinnor though were camped close to the try-line but a number of forward drives were defended. Just when it looked like they would be denied, prop Josh McNulty crossed the whitewash, and Smith’s conversion game the home side a 17-12 lead at the break. Whether or not this would be enough given the stiff breeze would have to remain to be seen.
With the elements in their favour, Plymouth started the second half with a spell of pressure, which eventually yielded a penalty just outside the Chinnor 22 and straight in front of the posts. Albion opted for the points which Putt added to bring the score to 17-15 after 46 minutes.
It was then Chinnor’s turn to spend time in the Plymouth half, aided by a clearing kick from just outside the 22 going out on the full to give Chinnor the line-out in a promising position. This time they won their ball, and when it was spread wide, Worrall stepped inside his marker to head for the line but the covering tackle stopped him just short. Hooker Robinson was then prevented from going over, but when the ball was reworked, a long pass gave Worrall a clear run to the corner. The tough conversion from the touchline and into the wind fell short, but Chinnor now led 22-15 after 50 minutes.
Shortly after play was held-up for nearly 5 minutes following a serious looking injury to a Plymouth player, which meant there would be plenty of added on time at the end of the match, but fortunately the injured player was able to trudge slowly off the pitch when at one time it looked like a stretcher might have been needed.
Chinnor were looking for the 4 try bonus point, but again the Albion defence was good, and centre Lewis Jones was eventually forced to make a low kick for touch.
Play was then mostly in the middle of the park, before a good kick from Plymouth took them back into the Chinnor 22. Their didn’t appear much danger as Plymouth were making little headway on the Chinnor 22, but suddenly prop Ramaz Rukhadze went through a huge hole in the Chinnor defence, and steam-rollered over replacement scrum-half Goodfellow for an unlikely score. Another conversion by Putt levelled the match at 22 each, with a little over 10 minutes.
Plymouth had the upper hand and a good kick forced Chinnor to touch down in their in-goal area, and from the subsequent drop-kick out, they won another penalty just outside the 22 in front of the posts. Putt was again on target to Albion a 25-22 lead with 8 minutes remaining.
Play then became a little scrappy as Chinnor tried to work their way into a dangerous position, but finally Worrall made a tremendous run down the left wing, and although tackled short, Albion were forced to concede a penalty deep into their 22. Unusually though, Chinnor opted for a scrum rather than the line-out in the corner. A series of forward drives followed and it looked like the pressure would result in the potentially winning score, but the referee then penalized the home side for crossing.
With time being played for the earlier injury, Plymouth were able to take play to their 10 metre line, but they were penalized, and back-chat took the penalty to within kicking distance. However, rather than take the three points to draw the match they decided to go for a winning try, and this time they kicked to the corner. However, the line-out was a disaster for Chinnor as the referee awarded a penalty against them, maybe for crossing.
Plymouth again cleared to their 10 metre line, but Chinnor stole the throw and attacked again. After taking play to the edge of the 22, the visitors defence held firm, and in Chinnor’s attempt to keep their attack alive, some desperate play led to a fumble, which was gleefully fly-hacked into the Chinnor half, with full-back Phil Jones gathering to score out wide to give his side the try bonus point and to deny Chinnor a losing bonus point. A missed conversion was irrelevant to the result and the referee blew the final whistle to leave Plymouth the victors by 30-22 in a game of fine margins which could easily have been a win for Chinnor.
Plymouth remained in 6th place after this result, but Chinnor slipped to third from bottom and into one of the relegation places. With just one win from 6 games, this could be a hard season for the Thame side.
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