Stortford started well and deservedly took the lead after 6 minutes, when Tom Coleman slotted a penalty after a cynical Chinnor offence under their own posts following the first of a number of strong bursts by Johnny Neville. The home team continued to have the edge, but scores were levelled 6 minutes later, after Stortford were penalised for holding on at a ruck and Ed Keohane made no mistake with his shot for goal. Despite losing their hooker to a yellow card for foul play after 16 minutes of the game, the visitors bounced back, taking advantage of some loose play by Stortford to win turnovers and, eventually to force a penalty, which Keohane again converted from long distance after 24 minutes. The home side fought their way back into the game and did not waste the opportunity offered by a second yellow card after 33 minutes. This time it was Number 9. Frank Jones who was penalised for a cynical offence at a breakdown on his own line, as Stortford pounded into the opposition. Within a minute we were awarded a penalty try for a collapsed scrum on the Chinnor line. This took Stortford 4 points ahead but, within 10 minutes they found themselves 3 points behind when some loose play under concerted pressure from the visitors produced a defensive 5 metre scrum, from which second row, Toby Salmon forced his way over the line, giving his flyhalf an easy conversion. The halftime whistle went shortly after, leaving Stortford with an uphill battle in the second period.

The second half started scrappily, but the home side suddenly hit their straps for a brief period after a quarter of an hour and, within three minutes scored two tries. The first was scored by Nick Hankin, scything through the last line of defence after a tremendous linebreak and run by Neville and Coleman converted for a 17-13 lead. The home side surged straight back onto the attack and, when right winger, Mike Gallagher was stopped close to the visitors' 22, quick ball and even quicker thinking by Coleman produced a try to left winger, Harry Marner from the flyhalf's accurate crosskick. Stortford's backs were now showing new found energy and a second penalty goal some 5 minutes later by Coleman extended the lead to 12 points, after the visitors were caught offside. Chinnor now seemed, though to be stung into their own action and a very well drilled backs' move some 3 minutes later created room out wide for winger, George Blewitt to fly over and run round for a try and a relatively easy conversion by Keohane to narrow the deficit to 5 points. The home side were now required to dig deep to repel a resurgent Chinnor side. Some well-organised and extremely committed defence, in which one cover tackle by Chris Aldam stood out, was sufficient to see the game out -- albeit aided significantly by an ill-judged chip kick from inside the Stortford 22, after more excellent interplay among the Chinnor backs had threatened to prise an opening.

Having pushed the first and second-placed sides in the league very close in the last two matches, to have lost again - albeit to a very strong Chinnor side - would have been a bitter blow for Stortford, so the character that was shown by the team, while not playing at their best, to battle back from a halftime deficit and then to hold on to the narrow lead under extreme pressure speaks volumes. Well done, boys!