BANBURY maintained their four-point lead at the top of Midlands 2 West South with a 27-10 victory away to Berkswell & Balsall.

An Ed Phillips penalty gave them the lead, before Josh Deegan crossed.

Phillips added the extras.

The hosts responded with a penalty, but Banbury led 17-3 at the break when Phillips converted his own try after he finished off a fine break from Joe Mills.

Matt Goode’s score stretched the visitors’ lead by five points, but the hosts refused to roll over.

A perfectly executed maul led to a converted try to make it 22-10.

However, Bulls all but sealed victory when Goode crossed for his second.

Phillips could not convert and Banbury held on, despite losing Sean Banister and Sam Stoop to the sin-bin.

In Southern Counties North, Bicester were left to rue a shaky start as they were beaten 37-32 by Beaconsfield.

The visitors led 15-0 after 18 minutes, thanks to a Jack Beard penalty, and tries from Lewis Stenson and Christopher Creak. Beard converted the second score.

But Bicester hit back as Will Anns crossed with Tom Miles adding the extras, before the latter kicked two penalties.

However, the visitors went onto lead 25-20 at the break as Jonathan Sobczyk scored two unconverted tries, sandwiching a Matt Dye effort for Bicester.

Miles added the extras.

On 50 minutes, Alex Spring dived over for Beaconsfield and Beard converted, before Bicester responded through Mike Harris.

But Miles was unable to add the extras.

The visitors scored their final try when Andrew Galligan dotted down, but there was time for the hosts to claim a bonus point as Harris darted over and Miles converted.

Wallingford lost 18-0 at Reading Abbey.

Tom Swainston had a try disallowed as they were beaten for the first time in 2016.