The drainage system installed at Chiltern in recent years ensured that the pitch was playable, but a very strong, gusty wind blowing end to end had a pronounced bearing on the way the game was played.

Chiltern faced into the wind in the first half, but early pressure saw them awarded a penalty under the visitor’s posts after six minutes, converted by scrum-half, Craig Burgess, for a 3-0 lead. Barnstaple then came more into the game and, using the wind, their fly-half hoisted a long kick, finding touch about 5 metres out from the Chiltern line on the left. The catch and drive was thwarted by the Chiltern forwards, but in so doing they gave away a penalty. The visitors opted for a quick tap and run, catching the home side rather by surprise and resulting in a try. The conversion was missed, but the visitors took the lead at 3-5.

From the restart, the ball held up in the wind and the Chiltern forwards managed to regain possession. A superb run by winger, Sam Portland, up the middle of the field saw him almost up to the try line and his pass out of the tackle was taken on by fly-half, Ross Bugden. A brilliant, instinctive, right-handed reverse flick found centre, Tom Shiel, coming at pace inside and over for the try. The conversion was missed, but the home side retook the lead at 8-5. With around five minutes to go, something sparked a mass brawl, which resulted in the sin-binning of Chiltern prop, Garret Doman-Cann and the visitor’s flanker, Chris Hodges. With minutes to go, however, Chiltern were awarded a scrum on the visitor’s 10 metre line. The ball came out to Bugden who amazingly, ghosted and glided through what seemed to be the entire visitor’s pack for a fine individual try. Burgess managed a marvellous conversion into the teeth of the wind, the ball just creeping over the bar, so the half time whistle went with Chiltern deservedly in the lead 15-5.

The second half saw Chiltern now playing with the wind behind them and, after 8 minutes, they were awarded a penalty just inside the visitor’s half. The kick was taken this time by Jack Kenyon, on for injured winger, Portland and utilising the wind, he managed a superb conversion, increasing the lead to 18-5. Three minutes later, however, a missed tackle on the left gave a try to the visitor’s winger, reducing the lead to 18-10, with the conversion missed. Chiltern then started to use the wind advantage and a long kick by Bugden led to a scrum ten metres from the visitor’s line. The scrum had to be reset several times, but eventually the ball came out to the Chiltern backs and a fine angled run by Shiel gave him his second try of the afternoon, also converted by Jack, increasing the lead to 25-10.

It was then the turn of the home side’s forwards to get in on the act. A long penalty kick by Bugden again resulted in a lineout about ten metres from the visitor’s try line. A tremendous catch and drive involving all the forwards took them right up to and over the line and a jubilantly celebrated, bonus-point try for second-row, Matt Craggs. Well converted again by Jack and the home side almost home and dry with the score at 32-10.

Jack increased this minutes later to 35-10 with a successful penalty and then, with only minutes to go, a great run out of defence by man-of-the-match No.8, Adam Henderson, took him a good 30 metres and right into the visitor’s half, resulting in a penalty to Chiltern. A quick tap and swift passing found Shiel in for his third, hat-trick try, converted by Jack and the whistle then went with Chiltern worthy winners at 42-10.

This was a fine win by Chiltern, taking them up two places in the league table to 6th, leapfrogging both Barnstaple and Newton Abbot. Next week Chiltern face a stern test playing league-leaders, Lydney, at home.

Match Report by Andy Gillanders