County Championship Plate Pool 3

Oxfordshire 38, Dorset & Wilts 10

Oxfordshire got their campaign off to a great start thanks to an impressive second half at Kingsey Road.

Leading just 12-10 at the break, Oxon then ran in four unanswered tries with full back Huw Jones in irrepressible mood.

This was far from a faultless display, but the cohesion and commitment with which Oxon played augurs well.

Dorset, however, made the better start and scored inside four minutes with a soft try.

Fly half Cameron Brown supported well down the left, but he must have been surprised with the ease he was able to run in to score.

Oxon took time to settle before centre Ben Hewitt showed nimble feet to jink his way over on 14 minutes – having stopped to receive the ball.

Fly half James Cathcart converted for 7-5, but the play was far from fluent.

The exception came on 26 minutes when a move began by James Lamb’s surges on the left ended with fellow debutant Jackson Sayce finishing well on the right.

Cathcart’s grubber kick forced Dorset to concede a five-metre scrum, but the chance went begging.

Visiting wing Ben Loosemore was recalled for a forward pass on 36 minutes, but scored a simple try in stoppage time from Brown’s long pass.

In between, Dorset had racked up the pressure despite seeing loose-head prop Alan Low sin-binned.

Jones gave Dorset a warning with a trademark break early in the second half, but threw a loose pass.

A minute later, he finished the job on the right after being set up by Cathcart, who then converted.

It was soon 24-10 when flanker Ben Nicholl, another debutant, reacted first to a charge down and motored over on the left.

The match was over by the 53rd-minute when hard-working wing Nick Sevier finished well after linking with Hewitt and Cathcart converted.

Sayce looked to have created a try with a clever off-load, but was deemed to have had a foot in touch.

There was no doubt about Oxon’s sixth and final try on 65 minutes as Jones weaved through several defenders with a dynamic run from half way and Cathcart converted.

Lamb and Hewitt had further chances to score, then, in stoppage time, Sayce looked set to race clear before his side were penalised for being off-side in defence.

Oxon won at a canter in the end, and should visit Essex on May 16 full of confidence.

Oxfordshire: Jones, Sayce, Hewitt, J Lamb, Sevier, Cathcart (Forth 71), Sewell, Stock, Cawston (Winpenny 40), Whelan (Eckert 57), Hutchings (capt), Smith, Nicholl (Wapshot 57), Hastings, Pearson (Muller 71). Reps not used: Prescott, Cope.

Referee: S Lewis (South West Group).

Man-of-the-match: Jones.