A MARK Darlington try with the penultimate play of the match helped Chinnor snatch a 43-40 victory at home to Rams in an end-to-end contest which ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous throughout.
It was the hosts who made the initial breakthrough as a number of strong carries up the middle dented the Rams’ defence, before the ball was spread to the right where Jason Worrall crossed.
Nick Smith’s attempted conversion was held up in the wind, and Rams then hit the front as skipper Robbie Stapley – following his hat-trick in the first encounter – powered over from close range after Connor Hayhow had been stopped inches from the line.
Sam Nicholls slotted the extras against his boyhood club to make it 7-5, but the lead changed hands again as Chinnor grabbed almost a carbon-copy of their first as captain Ben Manning touched down on the right.
This time Smith did land his kick for 12-7, but in an error-strewn contest, it was somewhat appropriate when Henry Bird picked up a loose ball on the halfway line to go over under the posts, Nicholls adding the extras.
Yet Willie Ryan’s close-range score had Chinnor 19-14 up at the interval, only for Rams to make a dream start to the second half as Bird brilliantly collected his own grubber kick to dive over on the left, Nicholls making it three from three for 21-19.
But almost immediately the home side went back in front with an excellent finish from 30 metres out by left wing Josh Hodson, only for Chinnor to fail to collect the restart and Bird ran in his hat-trick.
The helter-skelter nature of the battle meant Nicholls’ conversion had the visitors 28-26 up, and they extended their lead when Stevie Bryant grabbed his first of the season following a series of phases near the Chinnor line.
However, the home side kept themselves in it with a Fred Tuilagi try from the back of a rolling maul, Smith’s kick drifting left of the uprights, only for Rams to score their sixth of the evening as Hayhow intercepted in his own 22 and went almost the length of the field, pulled down before the ball went to Drew Humberstone to touchdown on the left.
Nicholls’ kick hit the left-hand post, and Chinnor then cut the gap to two as Luke Carter sniped over before Smith added the extras.
Rams looked like they might hold on, but Darlington – on his 50th cap – snuck over from close range before the hosts retrieved the kick-off and Carter booted it off for a dramatic victory.
By Richard Ashton
