Chinnor 27, Oxford Harlequins 31

There will be few more dramatic finishes this season than that witnessed in an enthralling National 3 South West derby at Kingsey Road.

Chinnor were leading 27-17 going into stoppage time, but still managed to lose as Quins’ enterprise earned them tries from Martin Nutt and Jason Welburn, Kenny Sewell converting both.

The hosts were left kicking themselves after failing to win a game their forwards dominated, especially in the tight.

Yet despite their lack of possession, Quins, who completed a league double over their rivals, had the game’s more effective back line and it was this that eventually sealed their victory.

Wings Nutt and Xavier Andre were a constant threat when they received the ball, while centre Dom Maley added class in midfield.

Chinnor began will real purpose and took the lead through fly half James Cathcart’s third-minute penalty.

The home pack controlled the scrummage and lock Harry Jackman stole plenty of line-out ball.

Jackman was denied a try for a forward pass on 12 minutes, but Chinnor turned over the resulting scrum and wing James Serrano finished well on the left, Cathcart converting for 12-0.

Quins had barely mounted an attack in the opening quarter, but ended it just 10-5 down after No 8 Welburn latched onto scrum half Nick Haydon’s long pass to score.

At the other end, Chinnor centre Ben Hewitt was stopped just short after ignoring men outside him.

Much of the next 15 minutes was scrappy, while Chinnor’s balance was upset by the loss of centre Sam Stoop to injury.

It was through that channel that Maley straightened his run superbly to score their second try on 39 minutes, fly half Sewell converting.

Chinnor upped the ante in the second period and full back Alex Wallace had a dramatic solo try ruled out for a foot in touch.

The hosts did not have long to wait for their second try as wing Richard Williams counter-attacked at pace.

Williams combined with flanker Sam Jones before scrum half Toby Prescott finished the move and Cathcart converted for 17-12.

Jones, who had a storming game, pounced for try No 3 on 60 minutes after the ball shot out the back of another brittle Quins scrum.

Cathcart converted this, and a fourth try almost followed before Quins lock Morgan Cross slid in to deny Hewitt who had chipped ahead.

Chinnor were still on top, but did themselves no favours with some rather ponderous pick-and-drive attempts, which Quins’ committed defence were equal to.

When the ball finally reached the backs, Cathcart was isolated and turned over ten metres out.

Before Chinnor could regroup, the visitors launched a lightning counter attack, with Andre the lead man, and Maley supporting well to bag his second try.

Cathcart then missed a second kickable penalty – and those six points would ultimately prove decisive.

It did not look that way when the Irish fly half slotted a three-pointer to make it 27-17 with a minute of normal time remaining.

Now was surely the time for Chinnor to stick it up their jumpers, but they struggled to retain possession.

Instead an agile pass from Haydon gave Nutt room to jink over for his second, which Sewell, who proved an able deputy for the injured Jeff Stewart, converted.

Quins kept chancing their arm and lock Andy Boyle was allowed to gain more ground than the now nervous home fans were happy with.

It took another mesmeric run from Andre to seal the match from the final play, with Welburn supporting well to finish and Sewell converting.

Chinnor: Wallace, Serrano, B Hewitt, Stoop (Chase 37), R Williams, Cathcart, Prescott, Winpenny, Cawston, Pickett (Whelan 70), Hutchings (capt), Jackman, Hastings, Jones, Mowbray. Rep not used: Ramsdale.

Oxford Harlequins: Crapper, Nutt, Cope (Noyce 78), Maley, Andre, Sewell, Haydon, Chadbone (capt), Needham, Eckert (Edney 72), Boyle, Cross, Davies (McCluskey 65), Newman, Welburn.

Referee: B McCrudden (Gloucestershire).

Man-of-the-match: Jones.