Four tries for David John as Chiltern continue fine winning streak

Amply supported by the travelling supporters, including the 16 ex-Chiltern players, golfers, in Worcester for the Chiltern Masters Golf Tournament over the weekend, Chiltern took the game to the hosts from the kick-off. The handling at pace, off-loading in tackle and ferocious defending were spectacular and provided a feast of entertainment for the spectators. The win puts Amersham & Chiltern fifth in the league table, level on points with Brixham, but with a game in hand. A win in the final game at Old Patesians in a couple of week’s time, therefore, could see them end the season at fourth, the highest position in the club’s history by a long way.

On a fine and sunny spring afternoon, the visitors attacked from the start and after ten minutes the pressure forced the hosts to give away a penalty, easily converted by Daniel Wood for a 0-3 lead. From the restart, the visitors attacked again and swift passing out to winger David John, saw him in for his first try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed, but the visitors extended the lead to 0-8 and then minutes later, pressure again and a break by fly-half Ross Bugden, now controlling the game superbly, was taken on by centre David Skelton and fed to fellow centre Tom Shiel for a try, converted by Wood and the lead now 0-15.

This initial ease of scoring, for a period, then seemed to lead the visitors to relax slightly and ease off the pressure. This allowed the home side to come more into the game. A penalty and the sin-binning of prop Garret Doman-Cann gave the home side their first points and another penalty just before half-time meant the teams went in for the break at 6-15 and the home side believing that they were still in with a chance.

These hopes were soon dashed from the start of the second half when, firstly No.8 Tom Blackburn tore up the centre of the field, deep into the home side’s half. Well supported, the ball found its way to David Skelton and in for the try, converted, taking the score to 6-22. From the restart, the visitors again blasted into the attack. Some sublime handling at pace, a break in the centre and pass out to David John on the wing saw him in for his second try of the afternoon and a rather shell-shocked home side now looking at a deficit of 6-27. The conversion was missed, but thereafter it became one-way traffic. Great handing at pace resulting in two more unconverted tries by David John, making the final score 6-37 and a convincing away win for a currently all-firing Chiltern side.

The final game of the 2013/14 season for Amersham & Chiltern is a rearranged game away to Cheltenham side Old Patesians on Saturday 26 April. Chiltern won the corresponding fixture at home earlier in the season 30-0.

Match report by Andy Gillanders