RUGBY UNION: Chinnor hit by Dings raid (From Oxford Mail)

RUGBY UNION: Chinnor hit by Dings raid

10:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Sport By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

Chinnor 17, Dings Crusaders 21

CHINNOR had only themselves to blame as they crashed to their second home defeat of the National 2 South season.

The hosts led 17-0 on the hour-mark without playing that well, but then fell away badly.

Dings could hardly believe their luck as they won the match with two tries in the final ten minutes.

Ultimately, the Bristol side’s persistence paid off, but they should never have been in a position to get anything from a disappointing match.

Chinnor had chances to score more than their two tries, most notably when centre Sam Stoop ignored an overlap and ended up losing the ball short of the tryline.

Tight-head prop Joe Pickett was playing his last match for Chinnor before moving to Australia – and he and his side could not have got off to a better start.

The hosts had one driving maul hauled down illegally on three minutes, but a minute later there was no stopping them and a jubilant Pickett claimed the try.

Fly half Will Millett, who was one of Chinnor’s bright points on a dull day, converted from the touchline.

Dings earned a penalty from the restart, but their otherwise impressive and influential full back Mark Woodrow missed.

Much that followed was scrappy and Chinnor wasted good field position when they could not control the ball at a five-metre scrum.

Millett slotted a penalty on 30 minutes, while wing Tom Gray was denied a decent chance by a forward pass.

Flanker Dave Hughes had to get back well to prevent Dings centre Rob Dempsey scoring on the left, but then came a sweeping move that suggested Chinnor were finally clicking.

Centre Matt Goode finished well after combining with wing Tristan Corpe. Millett converted.

Dings gave themselves hope when replacement scrum half Steve Plummer stretched over from close range after Wood-row, who converted the try, had been stopped short.

Goode limped off, which disrupted Chinnor’s back line, but they went close through Stoop after a scintillating break from Gray.

Stoop’s failure to capitalise on that great chance after 68 minutes looked like proving immaterial, but Dings had the momentum now.

Woodrow’s clever cross-kick allowed lurking hooker Dave Wheeler a try on the left wing.

The conversion from Wood-row made it 17-14 and panic was rising among the home fans.

Their fears were realised two minutes from time when a slick counter-attack saw Dempsey go over and Woodrow convert.

Chinnor had one more chance after Dings bizarrely threw the ball into touch, but a knock-on ended their hopes on what proved a very flat day.

Chinnor: Mountford, Gray, Goode (Colver 59), Stoop, T Corpe, Millett, Jones, Winpenny (capt) (Berry 48), Holyland (Whelan 48), Pickett, Mowbray (Hastings 74), Smith, Hughes, Sawyer, Gilbert. Rep not used: Hopwood.
 

Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).
 

Chinnor man-of-the-match: Millett.

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