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HENRY Lamb’s late long-range penalty earned Witney a 15-14 victory over Grove in a derby thriller at Hailey Road.

Grove had led 8-0 in a clash that saw six yellow cards, but Witney clawed their way back before fly half Lamb struck decisively.

Scrum half Roger Sevier kicked Grove ahead with an eighth-minute penalty, but then No 8 Joe Bellinger became the first of their four yellow-card victims.

Lamb hit a post with a penalty, which would have levelled proceedings.

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On 39 minutes, Grove hooker Steve Dixey went over for their opening try in the corner.

Lamb missed another penalty before half-time, but his side were on the scoresheet almost immediatelty at the resumption.

Wing Ben Fisk finished a decent move to make it 8-5.

Grove’s Dixey and Witney captain Jez Hicks were sin-binned in separate incidents before Sevier slotted a second penalty.

Visiting fly half Harry Carr also saw yellow and Witney took advantage.

Replacement full back Harry Stevens galloped over in the corner, with Lamb’s conversion putting the hosts 12-11 up.

Witney hooker Sam Collins received the game’s fifth yellow card, with Sevier kicking the resulting penalty for a 14-12 lead.

Lamb had the final say thanks to his 75th-minute penalty, although Gr-ove’s Cash Chilvers completed the yellow card tally.

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