Chinnor maintained their dominant hold on the Oxfordshire Cup when they won a hard-earned 27-9 victory over Oxford University Greyhounds in the battle of the second strings at Iffley Road on Sunday.

It’s the fourth year in a row that the trophy will be residing at Kingsey Road after Chinnor 2nd XV retained the trophy they won for the first time last year.

And it completed an astonishing season for the side who won all 25 games they played.

It is a tribute to the strength in depth of the National 2 South club, whose first team are unable to play in this event.

In the end, it was the cohesion of an outfit that had played together all year that won the day against a collection of talented enthusiastic individuals, who were playing together as a unit for probably for the first time.

The students were in the game for 50 minutes, before Chinnor's strength, typified by a man-of-the-match performance from No 8 Ed Vickers, helped Chinnor pull away.

Chinnor started as favourites, and neutral spectators were fearing a one-sided massacre when they opened the scoring after just 90 seconds.

Following a strong forward drive, fly half Sam Angell’s well-placed chip-kick into space was gathered by centre Trevor Powell, who went over unopposed for a try. Angell added the conversion.

Remarkably, this was Chinnor's only score of the first half.

Greyhounds, inspired by a bold display from No 8 Michael Rickner and the sniping breaks of scrum half Sam Egerton, rallied well.

They forced Chinnor to give away penalties in defence of their tryline and centre Phil Bell landed two goals from four attempts to bring the score back to 7-6.

Much of the first half was disrupted by the long lectures from Oxon referee Scott Galbraith, who also issued three harsh-looking yellow cards The players to suffer were Chinnor forwards Max Williams and Sam Blewitt and the Hounds’ flanker Will Fell.

There was still just one point between the sides at half-time and the chance of an upset.

But Chinnor gave themselves a good talking-to in the interval and their forwards took a firm grip on the game.

Following a superb drive to the Greyhounds line, the ball was spun left and Chinnor centre Tristan Corpe, the most dangerous runner on the field, touched down for their second try, Angell's conversion making it 14-6.

Then came the biggest cheer of the afternoon when Chinnor's 44-year-old prop Simon Matthews, making a rare outing, scored their third try, having been driven over by their dominant pack.

The students did not let their heads drops and had a long period of pressure in their opponents’ 22. But Chinnor’s defence has been a keystone to their successful season and they limited the damage to just a third penalty from Bell.

They wrapped up the game, with another strong forwards drive over the line, with winger Harry Hillier joining in to touch down for third try.

Angell missed the conversion but added a penalty with the last kick of the game to complete a memorable season for coach Martin Moran's team.

Skipper Powell received the Oxfordshire Cup alongside Chinnor 2nd’s regular skipper Ian Stock, who missed the final through injury.

Vickers, received the Ron Grimshaw Memorial Trophy as man of the match from Paul Murphy, the RFU president.

Chinnor: Hopwood, Woodhouse, Corpe, Powell (capt), Hillier, Angell, Newman, Matthews (Berry 59), Holyland, Ludgate (Whelan 60), Blewitt, Rixon, Harrison, Williams, Vickers (Lavin blood 69-72).

Oxford Univ Greyhounds: Morris, Wareham (Batten 78), Bell, Alexander-Neil, Cox, Jones, Egerton, Mason (Nickerson 73), Wisson, Powell, Reeson-Price, Craggs (Hitchings 33), Perrin, Fell, Rickner (capt).

Referee: S Galbraith (Oxon).

Man-of-the-match: Ed Vickers.