MATCH REPORT: TITANS COMPLETE DOUBLE OVER CHINNOR FALCONS

RAMS Titans signed off the calendar year with a hard-fought 17-5 Raging Bull Shield Division One home triumph against a young and talented Chinnor Falcons side.

With the Thame men having won the first-team showdown in front of a record-breaking Kingsey Road of 2,437 crowd the night before, Titans gained a measure of revenge with a seventh win from 10 league games which leaves them in the title hunt heading into 2024.

It was Chinnor who started the brighter, however, and they took a deserved lead at Old Bath Road as a powerful rolling maul rumbled across the line.

Tom Price – who was running the show for the visitors with a sublime mix of handling and ball from the boot – was unable to add the extras, and as the first half progressed, Rams began to gain a foothold in the contest.

On his return from injury, Jak Rossiter looked lively on the right wing, showcasing impressive power to go with his trademark pace and side-stepping ability as his side knocked on the door of an equalising score.

It took until the final play of the first half to achieve, however, captain Tom Humberstone the man to touch down as he went over on the left for an unconverted try.

Titans’ scrum was proving utterly dominant throughout the game, but it was another score from the three-quarters which nudged the hosts in front as a cross-field kick inside the Chinnor 22 was fielded on the try-line, only for the ball to be stripped leading to the easiest of tries for Rossiter.

Humberstone was on target to make it 12-5, and with the pressure continuing to build on the visitors, the increasing penalty count led to a yellow card.

Rams were unable to make their numerical advantage pay immediately, but effectively put the game to bed towards the end as a sublime piece of skill from Mike Hoyt led to a Finn Matthews try.

On the run, the No. 8 put in the deftest of chips from 35 metres out, Reading University speedster taking the ball on the full before showing his trademark footwork to dance past a would-be defender ahead of diving across the whitewash.

Falcons continued to battle, but they were unable to land a real punch, albeit the away side were able to deprive Titans of a try bonus-point.
Sitting in fourth place heading into the New Year, Titans are due to return to action at Esher Cardinals (2nd XV) on Saturday, January 20.