CHINNOR ended their season sixth after a gutsy 27-19 defeat at Shelford in coach Jason Bowers’s last match in charge.

With a number of injuries and unavailabilities, the visitors were forced to make a host of changes.

Veteran prop Simon Matthews came into the front row for only his second game of the season, while Trevor Powell, sporting a 20-stitch mouth wound suffered the previous week, partnering Henry Colver at centre.

James Cathcart returned at fly half for his first match after a long lay-off.

Rory Hutchinson’s penalty put the home side ahead, but Cathcart soon replied to make it 3-3.

The first try of the day came when a Shelford rolling maul allowed Dane Grey to touch down, Hutchinson landing the conversion.

Cathcart’s penalty reduced the arrears, but another rolling maul from the Cambridgeshire side ended in Jamie Beswick scoring their second try to make it 15-6 at half-time.

Things got worse for Chinnor when minutes after the restart, a fumble allowed Hutchinson ran clear to touch down before converting his own try.

Another slip from the visitors saw Shelford winger Andrew Scott sprint clear to go over and make it 27-6.

To their credit, Chinnor never gave up and a quick passing move saw Liam Gilbert canter over for their first try of the game.

Seven minutes later, Cathcart’s penalty cut the deficit further, and when Andy Berry dived over after a rolling maul of their own, Chinnor were back in the game at 27-19.

However, they were unable to add any further points and were ultimately well beaten.

Chinnor: Hopwood, Fielding, Colver, Mountford, Cathcart, Millett, Jones, Matthews, Tattersall, Berry, Blewitt, Smith, Mowbray, Harrison, Gilbert. Reps: Whelan, Holyland, Vickers, Hastings, Millett.