CHINNOR twice let slip the lead as they went down
26-14 at Richmond in a gripping National League 1 encounter.
Individual errors proved to be the Oxfordshire side’s downfall in a match they led 7-6 and 14-13.
Two Ross Kirby penalties put Richmond 6-0 up after 22 minutes.
But Chinnor responded brilliantly to go 7-6 in front four minutes later when Josh McNulty touched down, Laurence May converting.
The visitors should have crossed again on the stroke of half-time, but Will Flinn dropped the ball with the try line at his mercy.
Richmond started the second half well and only a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Carl Kirwan denied Ronnie McLean.
However, the pressure eventually took its toll and Jesse Liston forced his way over, Kirby converting, to make it 13-7 to the hosts.
Chinnor reacted well again, though, and Will Harries crossed. May landed a difficult conversion from the touchline to put the visitors 14-13 in front.
But Kirby kicked his third penalty before the full-back converted Toby Saysell’s try to make it 23-14 with eight minutes to go.
Chinnor’s Kieran Goss was sin-binned late on for a dump tackle and Kirby slotted the resultant penalty to complete the scoring.
Henley Hawks made it two wins from two with a 50-0 success at Old Redcliffians in National 2 South.
Liam O’Neill, Tom Emery, Alex Bradley and Jack Robinson all touched down in the first half, Ben Bolster converting three for a 26-0 half-time lead.
George Griffiths, George Wood, O’Neill and Sam Lunnon scored after the break to round-off a superb display.
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