Ratu rattles Dons as Chinnor reign

■ By MICHAEL YOUNG

Wimbledon …27

Chinnor…37

CHINNOR kept pace with Cinderford at the summit of National 2 South with a hard-fought win on the road against Wimbledon.

Alfie Dudman-Jones opened the scoring in just the first minute, the centre crossing to give Wimbledon the perfect start.

And when James Doe added a penalty to the conversion the home side had a ten-point advantage with just 11 minutes played.

Ratu Nawaqaliva kept Chinnor with touching distance, though, as his try before the quarterhour mark halved his side’s deficit.

Benjamin Brooks hit back just two minutes later though, although Doe could not convert, so when Kieran Goss went over in the 26th minute – Jonathan Bentley converting – and Nawaqaliva added a second before half time, Chinnor were four points to the good.

Winger Philip Chester extended that lead nine minutes into the second half, Bentley missing the conversion before adding a penalty.

And both Daniel Barnes and Thomas Ranaboldo also went over to establish a 22-point lead with 14 minutes to play.

Scores from Kareem Swandells and Sam O’Leary-Blade in the final five minutes – the first converted by Doe – meant Wimbledon got within ten but were still defeated.

TEAMS

WIMBLEDON: Gilbert, O’Leary- Blade, Dudman-Jones, Esam, Hutson, Doe, Morgan, Bayford, Brooks, Swandells, Flashman, Campbell, Laventure, Flanagan, York.

Replacements: Beale, Macsweeney, Hore, Rice, Waltier.

CHINNOR: Goss, Chesters, Barnes, Dancer, Nawaqaliva, Bentley, Goodfellow, Bingham, Lawrence, Gilding, Ramshaw, Ranaboldo, Bradley, Oliver, Manning.

Replacements: Cano, Mason, Turner, Barton, Lamont.

REFEREE: Dr Jonathan Cook

ATTENDANCE: 300

Star man

Ratu Nawaqaliva – Chinnor