Leaders Chinnor bring Cinderford juggernaut to a halt

Kieran Goss touches down. Picture: Aaron Bayliss

League leaders Chinnor welcomed Cinderford to Kingsey Road this weekend with the visitors bang in form having not lost for over two months.

Full of confidence, the Gloucestershire side fancied their chances of claiming an eighth straight win and derailing Chinnor’s title hopes.

And despite Charlie Broughton going over for an early Chinnor try, converted by Jonny Bentley, the visitors were seemingly in control at half-time when they left their hosts stunned with three tries.

Harry Robinson went over first and was twice followed across by James Moffat, with Chinnor only able to respond through a penalty from Bentley to trail 17-10 at the break.

The second-half took a different path altogether, however, and early pressure from the hosts led to a succession of pick and drives in the visitors’ 22 and a second Bentley penalty narrowed the score to 17-13.

Liam Hemming missed a long range penalty shortly after the restart for Cinderford and Chinnor came storming back with a superb second try by Broughton after an incisive break by full-back Kieran Goss.

The conversion was missed but the hosts were now in full flow and after several phases of play and an impressive line break by prop Jay Tyack, Ben Manning touched down.

The referee instead awarded a penalty try for a high tackle in the act of scoring although this went unconverted, Chinnor now led 23-17 with 15 minutes remaining.

Chinnor’s fourth and bonus-point try came after 71 minutes when scrum-half Josh Davies swooped over from a 5 metre scrum and gave the hosts a two score margin 28-17.

The try of the game came with four minutes left when a Cinderford clearance kick was collected by the outstanding Goss in his own half and with seemingly nothing on, he glided through the Cinderford defence to score near the posts.

Bertie Hopkin converted the extras and the Villagers weren’t done yet, Josh Davies going over for a final score.

Chinnor now have a weekend off before facing a daunting trip to third-placed Old Elthamians next Saturday.