Manor welcomed local rivals Chingford expecting a stern test from a side that had only lost once this season. The match was preceded by a Xmas lunch that was enjoyed by over 100 diners, but the festive spirit did not find it’s way onto the pitch where the game saw three yellow and two red cards issued.

Manor got the match underway and the first few minutes were hard and uncompromising, Manor having the better of possession and territory, but with both sides being penalised by the referee no real attacking opportunities were constructed. Chingford, when they did have possession chose to kick the ball deep into Manors half which was returned with interest by Max Murray and Nick Horton., with Horton’s kick winning a lineout inside Chingford’s 22. With the throw in secured by Jack Sullivan Manor set up a driving maul which took play within 8 meters of Chingford’s line before the maul was brought down illegally. Nick Sheppard took the shot at goal and after 12 minutes of the half Manor led 3 - 0.

From the restart the ball went to winger Chris Smith who drove forward, knocking over the first tackler before being brought to ground, from the ruck Fred Newbury sent up a high box kick which Manor chased well causing the Chingford winger to knock the ball on. With Manor winning the scrum Garth Tucker drove forwards but when his supporting forwards arrived and tried to carry on the drive the ref penalised them. Chingford kicked to touch then won another penalty shortly afterwards as they drove forward from the lineout. This time the penalty was in goal kicking distance, but the visitors kicker was off target allowing Horton to clear the danger.

Chingford were now enjoying an amount of possession and gained an advantage when Manor knocked on inside their 22 from a kick ahead by Chingford’s fly half. From the scrum Chingford brought their backline into play but a good cover tackle by James Osborn won Manor a scrum which allowed them to clear the immediate danger.

Play was still fairly even but it was Chingford who worked the first scoring opportunity when from a scrum inside Manors half they took the ball on through their forwards before moving the ball out to their winger, who from inside Manors 22 took advantage of some poor tackling to break through two attempts to stop him before going over in the corner for the first try of the match. The conversion from out wide was missed but after 23 minutes of play Chingford had taken the lead 3 - 5.

Manor now upped the tempo and put together a period of attacking play inside Chingford’s 22. From a Chingford lineout Misiona Evagelia stole the throw in, drove forward and set the ball up, then good interplay between Andrew Connors and Sheppard, who both broke through tackles, saw the attack continue towards Chingford’s line, but when the attack broke down the ref brought play back for a penalty to Manor in front of the posts. Sheppard accepted the three points and Manor had re-taken the lead 6 - 5 after 30 minutes of the half.

From the restart Sullivan took the ball and powered his way forward before setting up a ruck, again Newbury put up a box kick this time chased by Smith who took the catcher and ball into touch for a Manor lineout. With Rory Moore winning the throw in, Manor set up another driving maul which Chingford failed to defend legally, giving away a kickable penalty. Unfortunately on this occasion from 26 meters out Sheppard hooked his attempt and the score remained 6 - 5.

Still Manor attacked and from the drop out won a ruck just inside Chingford’s half. Here Horton received clean ball and chose to change the direction of the attack by running down the blindside, he out paced the initial defenders then as he ran towards the 22, Chingford’s left winger was wrong footed and tried to tackle him with an outstretched arm catching Horton around the throat, knocking him off his feet. The ref blew for a penalty and whilst there was no suggestion that the tackle was malicious it was very dangerous leaving the referee with no option but to send the Chingford player off. They would now play the rest of the game a man short.

Manor kicked for a lineout which they won and proceeded to pound the Chingford line, but excellent defence for the visitors meant Manor were unable to breakthrough and they eventually gave a penalty away allowing Chingford to clear their lines.

With the half coming to a close, Manor won a scrum on the halfway line and as they started to build an attack Manors George Cosma got involved in a scuffle with a Chingford player, as other players got involved to try and break things up the Chingford number 8 ran in from distance and threw a straight arm punch at Cosma. The ref stopped play and after things had clamed down he showed a yellow card to Cosma and a straight red card to the Chingford No 8, he then blew the whistle for half time.

With Chingford down to thirteen men for the whole of the second half, surely Manor held the upper hand. Well somebody forgot to tell Chingford that as they began the second half as though their lives depended on the result.

Chingford kicked off with Evagelia taking man and ball and getting hurt in the process, after treatment he was helped off the filed and Manor would have to play the rest of the match without their influential backrower. From the scrum Manor tried to run the ball out but Chingford knocked them backwards winning a penalty almost in front of the posts. Inexplicably the Chingford kicker missed the simple attempt and Manor cleared the ball from a 22 drop out.

Chingford continued to have the upper hand and kept Manor pinned back inside their 22, making light of the fact that they were a man down, as Manor were still without Cosma. Time after time they drove at Manors line and time after time Manor defended stoutly stopping the big Chingford players from crossing their line, but Chingford eventually moved the ball out wide where they had worked an overlap but the final pass was awful, missing the player totally and going into touch, a certain try scoring opportunity had been butchered.

After 12 minutes of the half Manor were now back to full strength but Chingford had changed their game plan, keeping the ball tight and starving Manor of possession. Yet again Chingford won a kickable penalty and yet again their kicker missed a relatively simple chance.

From the restart Manor eventually had a period of possession and showed attacking intent when the ball was worked along the line to winger Luigi Martelletti who beat his man taking play into Chingford’s 22, where he tried to off load the ball to the supporting Connors who took the ball at pace but the ball was adjudged to have gone forwards allowing Chingford to get out of their 22 from the set scrum.

Manor weren’t helping themselves by falling foul of the refs whistle on too many occasions, this eventually lead to Callum McKie being sent to the sin bin.

Chingford still continued to stick to their tactics of keeping things tight and again began to deny Manor any decent ball, then after another period of play, pounding Manors line they again worked an overlap out wide, this time taking the opportunity to go in at the corner. With the difficult conversion missed Chingford had again taken the lead 6 - 10 with 25 minutes of the second half played.

Manor eventually began to wake up and put together some phases of attacking play with John Ewers and Connors carrying well before a knock on halted a promising attack. Manor pressurised the Chingford scrum and as they tried to run from deep Manor turned the ball over, shipping the turnover ball out to Martelletti who was taken out of play 8 meters from Chingford’s line. Moore stole the Chingford throw in allowing Manor to set up a driving maul, from the back of which Tryson Goodchild drove off towards the line only to be stopped a couple of meters short. With Manor there in numbers, they secured possession which was shipped out to their backs where Sheppard went for the line only to be brought down short. Manor kept things tight with another couple of pick and drives before the ball found its way to the charging Barney Newbury who took a couple of Chingford players with him as he drove over the line to score Manors first try of the game. With Sheppard successful with the conversion attempt Manor had retaken the lead 13 - 10 with 33 minutes of the half played.

From the restart Manor took the game back to Chingford causing the visitors to kick the ball deep into Manors half, here Horton returned the kick with interest, chased by Martelletti and as the ball bounced awkwardly Martelletti plucked it out of the air and fed the supporting Murray who linked with his forwards but in their haste to get over the line Manor knocked the ball on. At the scrum Manor drove Chingford back and as they tried to run the ball off the back of the scrum Osborn snared his man and drove him backwards aided by the supporting Manor players they drove him back over the line for an attacking scrum.

Manor won the scrum and went blind where they had an overlap, as the last pass went out to the unmarked Martelletti, Chingford’s fly half dived forward and knocked the ball on stopping a certain try. The ref gave a penalty and yellow carded the Chingford player but did not award a penalty try, Manor chose to take another scrum from the penalty. Manor drove the scrum forward and when Chingford managed to hold the drive Tucker drove off the back but was held up short, as was Connors and Newbury who both tried to drive over the line. The ball was again recycled this time to Sullivan who brushed aside the first two attempted tackles then had the strength to drive over the line and ground the ball despite two Chingford players trying to stop him. Sheppard was again successful with the conversion and with only a few minutes left to play Manor had at last established a winning lead 20 - 10.

From the restart Chingford attacked Manor looking for the extra points that would secure them a losing bonus point. They contested the kick and made life difficult for Manor eventually winning a penalty. With their usual kicker in the sin bin the kick from 25 meters out was taken and sailed through the posts causing the ref to bring to an end a typical local derby game with Manor victorious 20 - 13.

The game had been full on with each side fighting for every meter of territory, it was not a pretty free flowing game of rugby, but one where no quarter was asked or given freely. Chingford showed why they had only lost one game all season with a dogged and determined display and as is often the case they played better when reduced in numbers. Manor were delighted to have extended their unbeaten run and after a well deserved break over Christmas will look forward to trying to keep their winning streak going in the New Year.