Rotherham Titans put in an outstanding second half defensive shift to earn a hard-fought, but deserved 26-24 victory over a very good Chinnor outfit at Kingsey Road.
Rotherham have suffered three heartbreaking defeats this term by a single score, so it was sweet for them this time to get on the right end of a narrow result.
However, following a bright start from the hosts, which saw them cross the whitewash twice inside the first 16 minutes, the portents looked gloomy for the South Yorkshire outfit, although a 3-pointer from Sam Hollingsworth kept his side within touching distance at 10-3 and then 10-6 before the half hour mark with another successful effort from the tee.
Chinnor to be fair though did look the better side at this point and the Thame based outfit looked dangerous in attack, with former Titan Caolan Ryan particularly threatening with ball in hand.
There was a sense of inevitability the hosts would score next and this they did shortly after when centre Jason Worrall ran in for his side’s third try. Laurence May converted to extend Chinnor’s advantage to 17-6 and there was a concern the game could be over before half time.
Sensationally however, Titans responded just before the break with two brilliant tries in the space of a couple of minutes.
Firstly from a line out move off the top, the ball was fed out wide to winger Tom Bacon who showed a good turn of foot to race in for a fine score in the corner.
The Bacon got himself involved again almost immediately as he made good ground as he broke through, before drawing a tackle to send in Connor Field to score under the posts. Hollingsworth’s conversion from in front of the sticks incredibly gave Rotherham a 18-17 lead.
Disappointingly for them however in the final play of the half and following some intense pressure from the hosts, Jason Worrall ran in for his second and Chinnor’s fourth try of the game.
Titans came out for the second period with good intensity about them and they look far more menacing than they had previously.
Their lively opening efforts saw them pin Chinnor deep inside their own 22, before Rotherham fly half Sam Hollingsworth expertly put in a cross-field kick which resulted in Tom Bacon snaffling the ball to dot down for his second try of the game.
On 47 minutes Titans took the lead for the second time when Hollingsworth again proved successful from the tee, as he nosed his side 26-24 ahead.
Remarkably with over 30 minutes remaining there would be no further score!
The defensive effort which followed from Rotherham was of outstanding quality and physicality and it was during this period that the Titans boys earned the right to win this highly competitive encounter.
Speaking on the pitch afterwards, Titans Director of Rugby, Martin Jenkinson, explained, “This result is massively satisfying because these lads have put in a heck of a lot of work; at times the bounce of the ball has not gone with us, and you need that, and we’ve finished just on the wrong side.
“I’ve just been talking to the boys and the word I’ve used more than any other is character!
“That second half was all about character; our defensive sets were absolutely top drawer, we got off the line and we went and smashed them.
“They are a top-end team and a good side and we’ve come here and done the job in a very professional manner and we are all delighted with an absolutely outstanding win.
“I think today has shown that Rotherham are capable of getting results against the very best teams in this division. The standard in National 1 goes up year on year and we regard our squad and systems as good as anyone’s in the division and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t get more than our fair share of victories.
“It was a massive all round team effort, but I have to mention Toby Williams. Toby is a man of very few words, so when he does speak people start listening and he had some words to say at half time which completely transformed the game for us.
“On top of that we have to remember he did 80 minutes, Harry Newborn very nearly did 80 minutes and Harry Whitfield went on at tight head, even though he’s a loose head.
“We also have to mention Tom Bacon for a bit of brilliance towards the end of the first half when he completely opened up the opposition to put Connor Field in for a terrific try.
“But this is a 20 man game and it was a 20 man performance.”
Referee: Harry Walbaum
Attendance: 512
Yellow Card: None
Titans: Bacon (2T), Field (T), Hollingsworth (3P, C)
Chinnor: Worrall (2T), Treviranus (T), Yawayawa (T), May (2C)
Titans: 15 George Castledine, 14 Ben Robbins, 13 Connor Field, 12 Tom Bullough, 11 Tom Bacon, 10 Sam Hollingsworth, 9 Connor Dever, 1 Toby Williams, 2 Harry Newborn (Defelitto 76), 3 Will Dennis (Whitfield 54), 4 Dan Preston-Routledge, 5 Kieran Frost, 6 Lewis Wilson, 7 Keifer Laxton (Waddington 54), 8 Zak Poole (Capt.).
Replacements: 16 Harry Whitfield, 17 Agustin Defelitto, 18 Alfie North, 19 Ben Waddington, 20 Morgan Bunting.
Chinnor: 15 Caolan Ryan (Laverick 40), 14 Samu Yawayawa, 13 Jason Worrall, 12 Danny Barnes, 11 Josh Hodson, 10 Laurence May, 9 Jake Ashby, 1 Tom Fidler (Southworth 48), 2 Nick Selway, 3 Josh McNulty, 4 Ben Thomas (Gray 70), 5 Cameron Gray (Ehizode 55), 6 Ofisa Treviranus, 7 Matt Marley (Manning 60), 8 Willie Ryan.
Replacements: 16 Charles Robinson, 17 Dan Southworth, 18 Ehize Ehizode, 19 Ben Manning, 20 Pete Laverick.
