Oxford Cavaliers got back on the winning trail after three successive defeats by handing out an 82-12 hiding to Bedford Swifts on Saturday.

The visitors silenced their critics inside the first eight minutes of this Rugby League Southern Conference clash by racing into an 18-0 lead courtesy of tries from Mick Scargill, Steve Lacey and Simon Hicks. Hicks converted all three. A sweeping 60-metre move between Hicks, Shires and Lacey saw the latter race behind the posts for Hicks to convert, and then good work by Andy Smales produced another try for Smallman.

More tries followed in quick succession from Wild and Paul Fairhurst, two further conversions from Hicks giving Oxford a comfortable half-time lead of 40-8.

Amidst the Cavaliers scoring frenzy, the home team scored two tries.

The visitors reshuffled their team for the second half, giving first-team debuts to Lindsay Partington and Matthew Cusden, but there was no respite for Bedford.

Fairhurst added his second try and Michael Shires sped over to score on his farewell appearance.

The procession continued with tries from Hicks, Lacey, Martin Throsby, Simon Reeves, Smallman and Martin Fairhurst.

Hicks added five more second-half conversions for a personal tally of 30 points, putting him second in the national points table.