Chinnor 35, Exmouth 3

CHINNOR underlined their National 3 South West title credentials with a clinical home victory over Exmouth.

Their in-form Devon visitors came closer than the scoreline suggests, but they could not match Chinnor’s fight and scoring power.

Wing Mark Chase bagged two first-half tries, with No 8 Liam Gilbert matching him after the break and centre Matt Goode running in a superb solo effort.

But this was an impressive team display in wet and windy conditions in what was expected to be one of Chinnor’s toughest tests of the season.

The hosts, who had the strong wind behind them, took the lead on eight minutes when Chase’s elusive running finished a slick move, fly half James Cathcart converting.

Exmouth passed up a couple of kickable penalties against the wind, but fly half Andrew Powell slotted a close-range effort on 17 minutes.

This came after Chinnor full back Henry Colver was sin-binned for illegally stopping Exmouth’s attack.

Chinnor thought they had scored soon afterwards when wing Tristan Corpe pounced on Chase’s chip, but he was ruled to have knocked on.

Chase scored his second try when he read centre Sam Stoop’s grubber kick and outsprinted the defence to touch down on 31 minutes.

Stoop looked set to score a try himself after hacking ahead on the edge of the Exmouth 22, but he was illegally tackled by Exmouth wing Tom Elliott, who was yellow-carded.

Some felt referee Douglas Neagle should have awarded a penalty try, but Cathcart slotted the penalty for a 15-3 lead.

Chinnor struck again on 46 minutes when they kept the ball alive to create an overlap for Gilbert to cross on the left.

Exmouth scrum half Matt Garner had two mazy runs and his side won a penalty ten metres out.

They tapped and went, but Powell knocked on under pressure and Chinnor survived.

The highlight came on 58 minutes as Goode received the ball on Exmouth’s ten-metre line before accelerating and stepping his way through for a scintillating solo score.

Cathcart added the conversion for 27-3.

Chinnor replacement flank-er Max Williams was sin-binned just minutes into his injury comeback.

Exmouth could not take any advantage, while Cathcart made it 30-3 with a penalty.

Chinnor’s scrum had been gaining ascendancy and a strong shove gave Gilbert the platform to pick up and power over for try No 5.

This prompted Powell to swear at Neagle, who red-carded him for dissent.

Chinnor: Colver, T Corpe (Gray 59), Goode, Stoop, Chase, Cathcart, Jones, Winpenny (capt) (Whelan 64), Tattersall, Pickett, Mowbray, Smith, Harrison (M Williams 58), Waddingham, Gilbert.

Referee: D Neagle (Hampshire).

Man-of-the-match: Gilbert.