CHINNOR endured another frustrating afternoon as their 32-30 loss to Cambridge condemned them to back-to-back home defeats.

The Thame-based side, who are now winless in three games, never really got going in a National League 1 contest where they were dominated up front, but showed late grit to take two bonus points.

Cambridge made an electric start to lead 10-0. Kwaku Asiedu stormed over for the opening try after two minutes, before hooker Ben Brownlie dotted down at the back of a driving maul.

Chinnor responded well and turned it around to lead by five points after 25 minutes.

Mike van Vuuren was driven across, before James Bourton brilliantly collected Nick Smith’s cross-field kick to dive over.

The full-back converted his own try and then added a penalty as the hosts found themselves 15-10 in front.

Matt Hema crossed for the visitors, only for the home side to lead 20-17 when winger Ryan Crowley crossed for the fifth time this season.

But Cambridge secured their four-try bonus-point before the break, Asiedu latching on to Hema’s grubber to dot down in the corner. Lawrence Rayner converted from the touchline to make it 22-20 at the break.

The visitors continued in the same vein and Kieran Frost drove over, Rayner adding the extras, to give them a nine-point lead.

Bourton and Rayner traded penalties as Cambridge headed into the latter stages in control, but Chinnor’s homegrown winger Seb Scott came off the bench to score their fourth try and secure two bonus points.

In National 2 South, Henley Hawks flew out of the blocks to return to winning ways against Bury St Edmunds.

Tom Emery crossed after six minutes, before Sam Lunnon went over twice in the first half an hour to help put the hosts 22-10 ahead at half-time.

Two converted tries within 13 minutes of the restart gave Bury St Edmunds the lead, but James Love’s penalty ultimately secured victory.

Henley are ninth in the table, with two games in hand on most of the teams above them.

Banbury Bulls triumphed 49-19 at Grove in South West 1 East, while Oxford Harlequins maintained their 100 per cent record with a 26-7 victory over Sherborne.

Witney won 28-21 at Buckingham to make it back-to-back away successes.

Wallingford beat Bicester 12-8 in their derby in Southern Counties North, while Gosford All Blacks lost 59-11 at Reading Abbey.