CHINEHAM RFC ended the year on a high with a thrilling 22-21 victory at Farnborough in Hampshire One.

The visitors started the game brightly but could not capitalise on the opportunities they had worked hard for to enable them to threaten the Farnborough try line.

As it was, home side were the ones to open the scoring on the 20 minute mark with a try on the right wing which was not converting.

It was not long before Chineham hit back with captain John Lingham scoring from the back of a driving maul which fly half Doug Ireland duly converted.

A late penalty for Farnborough finished the first half’s scoring with the home side leading 8-7.

After half time the game turned towards a more cagey affair with Chineham almost scoring, again from a driving maul, but a Farnborough defender just holding up the ball.

Ireland kicked a penalty following Farnborough indiscipline which gave Chineham a10-8 lead.

Farnborough struck back with a penalty of their own five minutes later to retake the lead.

Buoyed, the hosts then sent their supporting crowd into rapture with two unconverted tries to make it 21-10.

In previous games heads might have dropped with the double hit of two tries in close succession, but Chineham have found a new confidence and took the fight straight back to Farnborough.

Luke Dyer contested and secured the ball from the kick off allowing forwards and backs to combine to put Matt Lingham through to join his brother on the scoresheet.

The try was not converted leaving Chineham needing a converted try to secure the win.

Smart forward play tired the Farnborough players before Jamie Wright unleashed Lloyd Amos to evade or break the tackles of no less than seven defenders to touched on the right wing.

The pressure was all on Ireland but he was up to the task with a sweetly struck kick that sailed between the uprights.

Farnborough knew they could still snatch a win with any type of score and threw everything they had left at the visitors.

The Chineham defence held firm and when Spencer Taylor’s counter-rucking secured the ball, it was left for scrum half Jamie Wright to send the ball into touch and end the game.

Chineham's next game is on January 7 when they entertain the Isle of Wight.