CHINNOR made sure of National League 1 rugby for another season with a convincing 41-15 victory over relegated Hull.
The Oxfordshire side crossed seven times at Kingsey Road, with blindside flanker Will Cave scoring a hat-trick of tries.
The home bonus point win lifts Chinnor up to eighth in the table, but more importantly still 11 points clear of the bottom three with two matches remaining.
The home side made a bullish start to the match and Cave crossed from close range in the second minute, fly-half Tom Price – who converted three of the tries – adding the extras.
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Hull recovered well and replied through wing Timoci Waqadau’s unconverted score, however a powerful driving maul led to hooker Reece Marshall touching down and putting Chinnor 14-5 in front after 20 minutes.
Again, Hull hit back when centre Steve Johnson scored off a fine break from Waqadau, but the home side finished the half on top with tries from Cave and wing Kieran Goss putting them 26-12 in front at the break.
Fly-half Reece Dean’s penalty got the visitors off to a positive start in the second half, but Chinnor took full control to dominate proceedings.
Cave completed his hat-trick off the back of another powerful maul, before wing Jason Worrall dived over for the 17th time this season to make it 36-15 after 52 minutes.
Lock James Down then put the icing on the cake in the last play, scoring his first Chinnor try following a strong break from hooker-turned-No 8 Finn Theobald-Thomas.
In National League 2 East, Henley Hawks remain fifth after a 22-17 win away against second from bottom Rochford Hundred.
The Hawks made it four wins in a row, and are seven points behind Worthing and Dorking, but a point clear of Bury St Edmunds in sixth.
Oxford Quins were beaten 64-7 at Tring, as they got their Papa John’s Community Cup campaign underway.
Burton and Bournemouth are the two other sides who join Quins in the Regional 1 Plate Pool 3 group.
Banbury won 31-25 at Paviors in their Regional 1 Bowl quarter final of the Community Cup, ensuring passage to the last four.
Second from bottom Grove ended the Regional 2 Tribute South Central season with a 50-20 win at home to bottom side Buckingham.
Witney were edged out 32-31 at Aylesbury in their Community Cup opening round fixture.
Wallingford were beaten 31-27 at Old Leamingtonians in the Community Cup.
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