Chinnor 21, Richmond 35

A match that started full of hope ended with Chinnor all but relegated from National 3 South.

This defeat and Bridgwater’s bonus-point victory means Chinnor will probably have to beat champions London Scottish in their final game to have any chance of staying up!

Chinnor played with spirit, but made too many errors.

If, as seems likely, they do go down, it was not this performance that sent them plummetting, but disappointing home defeats to Worthing, Havant and Lydney.

Richmond, who fielded three Oxford Blues in Peter Clarke, Tom Gregory and Rupert Alhusen, were clearly the better side, but Chinnor’s passionate start saw them 8-0 up after eight minutes.

Flanker Adam Hastings was just forced out in the first minute, but the hosts kept pressing, with Ben Hewitt and Chris Mahony creating a try for wing Richard Williams.

Fly half James Cathcart added a penalty following an incisive backs move.

Richmond captain Matt Hart slotted penalties after ten and 20 minutes as his side dominated the territory.

Cathcart kicked a second penalty after Clarke, last year’s winning Varsity Match captain, was yellow-carded.

Hart’s third penalty made it 11-9 after 31 minutes.

Richmond secured a de- served lead when scrum half Kristopher Greene sniped over from close range on 39 minutes and Hart converted.

It was all to play for at the break, but Richmond, with Allhusen to the fore, totally dominated the scrums.

They bagged a second try with a monumental turnover from a Chinnor put-in – Clarke applying the finishing touch.

Richmond were caught out when Chinnor hooker Arthur Ellis intercepted superbly on halfway and raced in to score after shrugging off a tackle from wing Joe Ajuwa.

The powerful Ajuwa, however, was dangerous throughout, and soon shredded Chinnor’s defence for a fine try, which Hart converted for 28-16.

Injuries meant replacement flanker Angus Neilson ended up at centre.

But Chinnor refused to lie down as Cathcart and Ellis created a try on the wing for prop Joe Winpenny on 68 minutes.

An unlikely comeback was on, but Chinnor couldn’t manage a crucial fourth try.

The final score, on 79 minutes, highlighted Richmond’s enterprise and Chinnor’s brittle defence.

Jonathan Wehbe tapped a quick free-kick in his 22 to start a dynamic move that ended with fellow replacement Andrew Saunders scoring in the corner, Hart converting.

Chinnor: Mahony (Serrano 52), Shiel, Hewitt, Oxley, R Williams (Jackson 63), Cathcart, Prescott, Winpenny, Ellis (Stennings 78), Whelan (Stock 55), Hutchings (capt), Payne, Jackman (Neilson 44), Hastings, Wright.

Referee: M Caton (Derbyshire).

Chinnor man-of-the-match: Ellis.