WITNEY recorded their first win when beating Swindon 27-24 in South West 1 East’s bottom-of-the-table clash.

The victory helped the west Oxfordshire club climb to within five points of safety.

Charlie Cox’s 11th-minute try had put Swindon 5-0 in front, but Witney quickly hit back through Carl Campbell’s score, converted by Matt Clarke.

The hosts then led 12-7 at half-time when Ken Hodgson crossed, Adam Westall adding the extras.

Witney, though, went on to open up a 24-12 lead when a penalty try was sandwiched by unconverted scores from Rhys Morgan and Tom Gaffney.

Swindon hit back through Cox, but they were soon down to 14 men when Westall was yellow-carded and a Clarke penalty put the visitors 27-17 in front.

There was still time for Westall to return to the pitch and convert his own try, but Witney held on.

Oxford Harlequins maintained their 100 per cent home record when beating Beaconsfield 28-11.

An Aled Lewis penalty put the visitors in front.

But the hosts hit back to lead 14-3 when Joe Nalewabau and Allan Purchase crossed, Rory Garrett adding the extras.

A Lewis penalty reduced Quins’ advantage to 14-6 at the break, before Kwong Lin’s try saw Beaconsfield close to within three points.

But Quins went on to score two further tries to seal victory, with Toni Turetta and Jack Crowe crossing, Garrett converting.

Oxford Mail:

Jack Briggs avoids this tackle on his way to scoring his second try for Banbury against Royal Wootton Bassett Picture: Simon Grieve

Banbury slipped to a 22-17 loss at Royal Wootton Bassett.

The hosts opened up a 14-0 lead, thanks to tries from Tom Fieldsend and David Martin, the former converting both.

Bulls replied through Jack Briggs’s score, converted by Duncan Leese, to make it 14-7 just before the break.

Phil Bardwell’s try saw the hosts extend their lead to 12 points, but Briggs crossed again, Leese converting, to keep Banbury in touch.

Fieldsend and Leese traded penalties as Bassett led 22-17, but it stayed that way despite Bulls applying pressure late on.