CHINNOR got the new season under way in the National League One with a battling display to win 17-15 at Blackheath on Saturday.

Tries in the second half from Tom Fidler and Ofisa Treviranus proved enough as the visitors dug deep to defeat their spirited hosts at Kidbrook Lane.

Chinnor opened up a 3-0 lead inside five minutes thanks to a penalty kick from Laurence May.

Danny Herriott of Blackheath was then sinbinned but the away side were unable to make the most of their man advantage.

It took the home team 28 minutes to get out of their own half of the pitch and they punished Chinnor for not adding to their tally. Joe Dancer knocked on from a lineout and Jack Daly darted over the whitewash. Mark Croke added the conversion to put Blackheath 7-3 ahead.

The visitors started the second half strongly and scored two tries in the space of seven minutes through Fidler and Treviranus, with May converting both.

Blackheath refused to lie down as an unconverted try from Alex Pickersgill reduced the arrears, before a Cooke penalty cut the lead to two points with nine minutes still to play.

Chinnor however responded well to see the game out and earn victory on the opening day of the new season.

Chinnor prop Luc Jeannot said: "Coming to a place like Blackheath is never easy and a lot of stuff didn't go right for us, but the heart the lads showed was class. We dug in and got a great win which is was National One is all about.

"It's a long season and, like Matt Williams (Director of Rugby) said, you don't define your campaign in the first game, but getting big away win at a place like Blackheath sets a precedent and it tells the rest of the league what we're about."