Probably the best away performance of the season ...

(the other contender was at Taunton) with Chinnor scoring in the last minute of an extended 2nd 1/2.

The visitors kicked back the home team's kick-off; Chinnor kept the ball for 7 phases before kicking. This resulted in a penalty against them that Barnes put into touch just outside the opposition 22. Chinnor soon turned over Barnes' attempted drive; three kicks followed before the first scrum for the home team 18 metres into their opponents' half. Advancing with 7 more phases they got a penalty at the 22 and kicked for a line-out 9 metres out. Their line-out was stolen and Barnes ran out to halfway. Chinnor forced an error to regain possession but were soon penalised. The kick took the visitors to their line-out 18 metres into the other half. 7 phases got them a penalty at the 22 which was put into touch for a line-out 6 metres out. The drive was held but the ball was got out to lock Collins who was able to get over the line for the first score after 9 minutes. Fly-half O'Toole added.

The restart kick went into touch 26 metres from the visitors' line. From the line-out Barnes launched an up-and-under. Chinnor dealt with that and recycled 5 times to get a penalty at halfway. Their line-out was 29 metres out and after it advanced close but lost possession after recycling once. The visitors kicked for territory after recycling twice; Chinnor kept the ball for 4 phases before the defence forced an error. This was followed by Barnes using up-and-unders to clear and Chinnor attacking but being forced into more errors. The visitors were penalised at their scrum put-in 29 metres from their line. They kick took them to 10 metres out but the line-out was thrown not-straight. Barnes chose a line-out but had that stolen; Chinnor kept the ball tight and set up a drive. The defence held and Chinnor did not get the ball out, giving the opposition a scrum 6 metres out. At this third scrum of the game they were pushed backwards and Chinnor got the ball. It was soon recycled to centre Armitage who touched down not far from the posts before the end of the first quarter. The conversion hit a post and stayed out.

Chinnor cleared the long restart to touch; Barnes took a quick line-out before being turned over at the opposition 22. Chinnor then broke out shrugging off tackles then recycled twice before making more ground. The defence forced an error to regain possession and kicked to the home team's 22. Chinnor again cleared to touch and the visitors once more threw a quick line-out. After 4 phases they were turned over and Chinnor set up their best attack thus far. Starting with a break then recycling wide they made a lot of ground then recycled close 5 times getting close to their opponents' line. After another tight recycle they got a scrum 8 metres out from an opposition knock-on. The scrum wheeled and the attackers were penalised. The visitors kicked to touch 8 metres from halfway. After the line-out and two close recycles they kicked into the 22. Two recycles by Chinnor preceded their kick to touch near halfway. The line-out resulted in a scrum for the visitors. This time they got the ball out but they were soon turned over and another line-out 4 metres ahead for Chinnor ensued. From that they put together a good set of 8 mixed phases before an offload created a breakthrough. This was followed by a major incident. A fight broke out and the Ref. consulted one of his assistants. The result was a red card for one of the visitors' players for dangerous head contact and a yellow for the opposition for retaliation. This happened 17 metres into the visitors' half; the kick took Chinnor to nearly 5 metres out. The drive from the line-out was held but hooker Townsend broke off to go over wide out at 33 minutes. A good conversion from fly-half Giles followed.

Chinnor returned the restart to touch near halfway. From the line-out Barnes put together their best sequence of phases thus far. Of these there were 8 and 2 made ground resulting in their penalty just inside the opposition 22. They kicked for a line-out less than 6 metres out; from that their pack made ground but the defence forced an error then won a penalty. They ran the ball from near their line to the 22 then kicked. Barnes ran the ball back with 8 varied phases before they were penalised 24 metres out before the halftime whistle.

Chinnor cleared the second half restart to touch just past halfway. From the line-out Barnes went wide and got a penalty after recycling twice. Their kick took them to just outside the 22; the line-out was thrown not-straight. Chinnor's pack advanced a bit in the scrum and were awarded a penalty rather quickly. The kick took them almost to halfway then from the line-out they went wide before kicking well for territory. Barnes had to clear to touch just outside their 22. Soon after this line-out Barnes forced an error to get a scrum at the same distance. They forced back in the scrum and penalised. The next kick took Chinnor to 6 metres out. From the line-out they advanced at the blind side; the defence held but the attackers got a scrum put-in 5 metres out. This advanced to the line where the defence won a turnover and kicked for territory. Chinnor ran the ball back well then recycled mostly close for 9 phases without further advance then sent an aimless moderately high kick towards the line. A mark was comfortably called for in the 22 then the ball cleared well to touch. An error at the throw-in gave the visitors a free-kick that was kicked for territory. Chinnor kicked back further and indeed to far, as it went dead giving Barnes a scrum 14 metres into the opposition half. They were pushed off their ball and Chinnor advanced with 5 close phases before being turned over when going wide. Barnes switched play and fullback Foster made a clean break; the ball was then recycled close 3 times and O'Toole tried to step through. The result was a penalty for the visitors 7 metres out in centre field at 16 minutes and the fly-half kicked the points to make the score 12 - 10.

Barnes soon cleared the high restart to touch 9 metres inside their half. From the line-out Chinnor went wide and then put together a very good set of 12 varied phases, the best of which was lock Hannay breaking through several tackles, to advance to the line where they were deemed held-up. The Scrum wheeled and the Ref. penalised the attackers. The kick took the visitors to 11 metres from halfway; from their line-out they wide and soon chipped ahead. The opposition dealt with this and ran back to 27 metres from Barnes' line where the defence forced an error to get a scrum. Chinnor replied to the kick ahead after the scrum with an up-and-under. Barnes then kept the ball and made a couple of thrusts within 5 phases before being forced into touch 11 metres into their opponents' half.

After an up-and-under from each team Chinnor dropped a pass; Barnes got the ball and went wide. They then put together 10 phases, 6 of which made ground. The ball was then in the hands of the fly-half about 7 metres out and he imagined potential gaps in the defensive crowd where there were presently none. He then deceived a couple of opponents to sneak through and touch down over the line. This at 27 minutes and he added the conversion for a 5 point lead.

The visitors replied to the high restart with an up-and-under. This was dealt with by the home team and they soon went wide before dropping the ball after another recycle. The scrum was no advantage to ball and their opponents got the ball but were soon turned over 10 metres out. Barnes cleared to touch; Chinnor threw a quick line-out and ran back. After recycling an error was forced by the defence and from this scrum the visitors got their ball out and kicked to touch 15 metres from halfway. From this line-out Chinnor kept the ball to score; they put together 11 mostly close phases, with 2 towards the end going wide, for replacement flanker Burns going over wide out at 34 minutes. The conversion went near but just wide and the score were level.

Chinnor secured the restart then were penalised 25 metres out after recycling once. O'Toole's kick struggled to make the ball fly and it went well wide. This miss was probably not relevant for the result. Chinnor thought to run from close to their line and they were forced back and had to touch down behind their own line. In the scrum Barnes were forced back a long way but did get their ball out. They recycled twice tight then went wide and made yards to get back to 7 metres out. They recycled close 6 times before getting the next scrum 6 metres out from an opposition knock-on of a Barnes' pass. Again they got their ball out and recycled close 6 times before being penalised for not releasing. Off went Chinnor, first going wide with a 40 metre run then recycling wide again through several hands before sending their outside centre and captain named Barnes to score in the final minute of 45, of which at most 3 were for stoppages. Giles added before the final whistle.

Dry & bright with the sun in an 80% blue sky warming at the start; some wind over the pitch which was good, dry and firm.