Chinnor claimed local bragging rights with a pulsating 28-21 triumph over National 2 South leaders Henley Hawks at Kingsey Road on Saturday.

In front of an excited crowd of 600, Chinnor raced into a 19-point lead, but had to withstand a superb late comeback from the visitors before hanging on for a deserved victory.

For Henley it was a second successive defeat after 16 straight wins, but the bonus point they secured with a late penalty keeps them on top of the table on points difference.

Chinnor’s pack laid the platform for victory in the first half, when facing a strong wind, they took a 7-6 interval lead.

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Inspired by skipper and No 8 Alfie To’oala’s driving play, Chinnor took the game to their opponents, who still looked shell-shocked following their 30-7 defeat at Worthing the previous week.

The hosts went ahead with a try after just six minutes. Toby Salmon won great line-out ball and To’oala drove for the line.

When he was stopped short, Chinnor recycled and fly half Sam Angell used his weight to go over the line for Ed Keohane to convert.

With the wind behind them, Henley kicked away a lot of possession and had to rely on two penalty goals from four attempts by fly half James Comben to keep them within a point at the interval.

Chinnor increased their advantage two minutes after the break when, following pressure on the Henley line, centre Jack Hayes took Junior Fatialofa’s reverse pass to touch down next to the posts. Keohane converted for 14-6.

Ten minutes later, Chinnor stretched their lead further when a superb move, started by a break from Reuben Haile, was finished by second row Ben Mannnig in the right corner.

Keohane missed the tricky conversion, but put over two penalty goals to make it 25-6.

Chinnor seemed home and hosed, but Henley have not got to the top without showing some resilience.

They were inspired by scrum half replacement Conor Murphy, on-loan from London Irish, who only permitted him to play 20 minutes.

His speed made an immediate impact and he started the move which ended with Tom Parker, shunted from scrum half to wing, scoring an unconverted try in the left corner.

Two minutes later, another incisive move led to Parker putting replacement Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas over for a try, which Comben converted.

Suddenly it was 25-18 and Chinnor were reeling.

A penalty goal from Keohane calmed their nerves, before Murphy landed a long-range penalty goal to secure Henley’s bonus point.

But some desperate Chinnor defending in seven minutes of added time ensured their first league win over their derby rivals.

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