Amersham & Chiltern falls to last minute penalty - again

Chiltern made the long trip down to Devon to play Newton Abbot, who were just below Chiltern in the league with games in hand. The home side started confidently and camped in the visitors’ half for a long period, but it was Chiltern that broke out and after some good work by the forwards, the ball was released to the backs. A chip ahead was not dealt with adequately by the home side’s full back and centre David Skelton scored an unexpected try, not converted by Jack Kenyon, but giving the visitors a lead at 0-5.

It was then the home side’s turn, however, and swift passing led to a try for their full back, which he converted, taking the lead at 7-5. After 19 minutes played, some good play by the Chiltern backs resulted in a try for winger Tim Lloyd this time converted, so they retook the lead at 7-12. Then, even without the sin-binned Ross Bugden, confident passing again by the backs gave a try to winger David John in the corner, again not converted, but increasing the visitors’ lead to 7-17. Just before the break, however, great offloading and passing by the home side saw their centre score under the posts, converted, narrowing the score to 14-17, still to the visitors, at half time.

The second half commenced in similar entertaining fashion and a converted penalty by the home side levelled the score at 17-17. Another try by the home side’s full back soon after, though unconverted, gave them the lead again at 22-17, before a very well taken try at the other end by flanker Danny Samuels, who was injured in the process and had to go off, levelled the score yet again at 22-22. The conversion was again missed.

Two tries in five minutes by the home side then gave them a ten point lead at 32-22, but Chiltern came back again and brisk, accurate passing following a break by full back Chris Jack, led to a try for centre Tom Shiel, converted by Kenyon, bringing the score back to 32-29. The visitors then threw everything at the home side and very nearly scored when Skelton just failed to hang onto a ball with the line begging, but, with 5 minutes to go, Kenyon converted a difficult penalty, again levelling the scores at 32-32. With minutes to go, however, it was the home side that benefited from a penalty in front of the posts to win the game 35-32.

There is no game next week, so the next one will be against Old Redcilffians, at home, on the 22 March. A game that will be preceded by the annual President’s Luncheon and the Parachute Regiment’s drop by the Red Devils onto the 1st team pitch in tribute to Arnhem hero and posthumous VC bearer, ex-Chiltern player, John Grayburn at 2:30pm.