Grove came from behind to defeat 14-man Chipping Norton 36-22 at Cane Lane in Southern Counties North.

Chippy led 22-12 at one stage, but Grove hit back with tries from wing John Gerring, plus centres Dylan Davies and Grant Morris to seal it.

The visitors only had 15 players arrive after three were involved in a car crash at Great Tew.

And they had to start with 14 after lock Andy Chapman suffered a freak injury in the warm-up!

Chippy led 12-0 with lock Ian Hancock bagging the first try and fly half Adam Smith the second after beating Grove full back Jesse Godwin to his kick ahead. Smith converted one.

Grove fly half Roger Sevier chipped over the top to score and convert.

Smith slotted a penalty, but a try that left the visiting coaches “seething” from Paul Shephard reduced the arrears before the break.

Chippy claimed scrum half Jamie Lakin and prop Steve Holland were left with blood injuries from a punch and a boot to the head in the build-up, but neither could be replaced at half-time due to lack of numbers.

Forward pressure stretched the Grove defence and allowed Jon Hickman to crash over, with Smith converting for 22-12.

Chippy should have scored again moments later when Matt Dawson and Brindley Walker, who worked tirelessly all day, put Lakin in only for him to be held up in goal.

Grove’s Gerring ran in from deep and Sevier converted.

Chippy were further depleted by a yellow card to flanker Dawson Guy Nicholl and Gerring then combined to set up Davies, with Sevier adding the extras and a penalty.

Grove sealed it late on when Morris touched down Sevier’s clever chip, with the latter converting.

Bicester climbed off the bottom with a 22-17 victory at Swindon – their first away win of the campaign.

Swindon led after ten minutes with a try from centre Connal Knott, fly half Cameron Brown converting.

From a penalty, Bicester No 8 Martin Linstrom stretched over to score and Steve Risbridger converted.

Bicester went ahead on half-time when wing Alec Warriner chased a long, high ball to cross on the left, Risbridger again converting.

Swindon’s Jordan Sheppard scored a try five minutes after the restart.

Bicester led by seven again when Risbridger sent Esava Rakacikaci on a 30-metre run to the posts.

Risbridger added a penalty, while a Knott try gave Swindon hope.

The visitors then had to withstand eight minutes of intense pressure.

Witney’s three-match winning run ended with a 23-12 defeat at Windsor.

With the referee having called “last play” and trailing 16-12, Witney threw the ball wide and conceded an interception try to Windsor’s full back, which was then converted.

Witney fell behind to a penalty.

A poor kick from Windsor’s fly half allowed Witney wing Phil Gouldie to beat his opposite number to the ball and run in a try, which James Lamb converted from out wide.

Weak tackling allowed the hosts to score a try and lead 8-7 at the break.

Windsor kicked a penalty, but then saw their winger sin-binned.

Skipper Jez Hicks and scrum half Gareth Campbell set up wing James Monks for a Witney try.

Windsor wriggled over for a try to make it 16-12 and then struck at the death.