Grove took the honours in Saturday’s Oxfordshire South West 1 East derby against Witney, running out 34-22 victors.

Grove began like an express train with a penalty by full back Roger Sevier followed by a try from wing Harry Carr, which Sevier converted.

Witney cut the deficit with a penalty, but Grove were quick to respond as Guy Nicholl touched down in the corner for a 15-3 lead.

Sevier missed the conversion and a penalty chance.

Witney hit back with a try, which signalled a spell of heavy pressure, but Grove held firm and went further ahead when Nicholl gathered and made a great dash to the line for a 20-8 half-time lead.

Witney turned down two opportunities to kick penalties and fell further behind when Nicholl crashed over in the corner for his second and Grove’s bonus point try. The home side looked out of sight, but they seemed to go to sleep.

Witney attacked strongly and spurned another kickable penalty, opting for the corner lineout. This time it paid off with a converted try under the posts.

Sevier landed a penalty to make it 28-15, only for Witney to reply with another converted try, cutting the gap to six points.

However, two further Sevier penalties put them out of sight.

Witney’s tries came from David Hyde, Charlie Bennett and Carl Strutt, while Phil Thomas converted two and landed a penalty.

Leaders Oxford Harlequins pipped Windsor 31-25 to make it seven victories out of seven, but nearly paid the price for a lapse midway through the second half. Tries from Richard Battson and Luke Brown, both converted by Zack Norris, put them 14-0 up, before Windsor reduced the arrears with a penalty from Paul Nunn. No 8 Jackson Achilles also went over for Norris to convert for a 21-3 lead at the break.

With Achilles in the sin-bin, Windsor hit back with a Nunn penalty, plus a try from Pat Birch.

Norris notched an opportunist try to make it 26-11, only for Windsor to reply with a Tom King try, converted by Nunn.

Replacement centre Mike Lee scored in the corner to ease Quins nerves, although Windsor had the last word with King going over for his second try, which Nunn converted.