James Cathcart landed every kick as Chinnor achieved a feat matched by very few teams in National 3 South – winning at Bristol’s Dings Crusaders.

But having battled back successfully from 15-6 down to triumph 19-15, their joy was tempered by the news that relegation rivals Lydney had beaten Rugby Lions 24-23.

Injury-hit Chinnor had never won at Lockleaze, and broke that duck with the help of 40-year-old stalwart prop Simon Matthews.

Matthews came off the bench to show he could still hold his own in the scrummage.

Dings put the visiting defence under real pressure early on, but Chinnor took the lead on 13 minutes with the first of four penalties from fly half Cathcart.

Hooker Paddy Stennings left the field with a blood injury, replaced by Joe Winnpenny.

Great recycling from the Dings forwards allowed hooker Dave Wheeler to score the first try, with fly half Adam Westall converting.

A yellow card for Chinnor prop James Eckert saw Matthews enter the fray.

Wing Richard Williams looked to have scored a fine breakaway try for Chinnor as he dived over in the corner, but was harshly adjudged to have been forced out by Westall.

Westall injured his ribs in the tackle and had to be withdrawn at half-time, which left Dings without a recognised kicker.

Before that, Westall and Cathcart traded penalties to make it 10-6 at the break.

Winpenny replaced Stock, who had received a big bang to the head, for the second half.

Dings’ pressure told with a second try, scored by lock Ian Rees on 44 minutes.

Chinnor responded within five minutes with a tremendous try scored by flanker Angus Nielsen on his return to the team after his concussion at Worthing.

Cathcart’s conversion made it 15-11.

Chinnor’s forwards recycled the ball with real control and earned two more penalties, which Cathcart slotted.

The final twist in the front row occurred in the 64th minute when Matthews replaced Eckert and Winpenny moved over to tight-head.

This made a full house of front row positions in one game!

Chinnor held out under some significant pressure to win through and seal a great victory against all the odds.

Henley Hawks had just 19 registered players fit as they lost 37-15 at second-placed Ealing.

Hawks were without centre and goal-kicker Danny Wells, and conceded three late tries after lock Dave Clements was yellow-carded.

With no other backs available, flanker Stean Williams found himself playing inside centre marking Mark Tucker – the former Northampton Saints, Worcester and England Saxons centre.

Left wing Kiba Richards scored the first of a hat-trick of tries for Ealing after fly half Ben Ward had notched a fourth-minute penalty.

Henley hit back when scrum half Jack Shaylor and fly half Charlie Hobart set up wing Sam Portland, who skinned Richards to touch down in the corner.

But two more Richards tries, both converetd by Ward, made it 25-5 at the break.

Henley felt they might have had a penalty try after a deliberate knock-on from full back Peter Hodgkinson.

Hobart and full back Pete Davies caused Ealing real problems, and Hawks’ presssure told when hooker Simon Tattersall touched down from a ruck after Hobart was halted close to the line.

Referee Stefano Traversi ignored pleas to stop play as Charlie Nixon received treatment for a potentially serious neck injury.

Although on the opposite side of the pitch, this went on for over five minutes to the distraction of Hawks' players.

In the confusion, Clements was issued a yellow card which was the key to conceding tries to replacement Davis Essian and Hodgkinson.

However, after the first of these, skipper Matt Payne danced through a hesitant Ealing pack when they failed to control the ball from a lineout.

Payne touched down at the posts, but Hobart missed the conversion.

Portland came close to a fourth Henley try, but could not gather his kick ahead.