A depleted Grove side saw their winning run ended with a 19-10 defeat at Newbury Stags in Southern Counties North.

Missing Nick and Roger Sevier, Tom Clipsham, Jon North and Rob Weaving, Grove lost Richard Keen and Jamie Burns to late illness.

Three tries and two conversions put Stags 19-0 up before Grove hit back with a try from flanker Jamie Fredericks, converted by fly half John Barrett.

Barrett slotted a penalty after the break, but Grove spurned a kickable penalty to secure a bonus point.

A brace of tries from Phil Longuet-Higgins proved in vain as Oxford lost 34-21 at home to Beaconsfield.

Tom Olley scored Oxford’s other try and kicked all three conversions.

Alchester went top of the BB&O Premier Division after a 48-0 win at Phoenix.

On 30 minutes, wing Andy Blacklock went over to break the deadlock and Alchester led 19-0 at half-time after fly half Tom Barnes converted tries from himself and No 8 Joe McAneaney.

Louis Byrne, Joe Fawcett (2) and Blacklock added tries, Barnes converting two and a penalty.

Gosford All Blacks lost 29-17 at home to Thatcham.

Wing Andy Trenier’s try gave Gosford the lead, but they then had Alex Webb sin-binned.

Tries from Mark Smith, Matt Billinghurst, converted by Toby Littlechild, and David Chambers put Thatcham 17-5 up.

Gosford levelled with tries from Richard Robbins, converted by Tim Ellis, and Harry Sutton.

But with George Humphreys already yellow-carded, Gosford conceded a penalty try, converted by Littlechild, and then Mark Reeve’s score sealed it.

An injury and availability-hit Bicester lost 24-5 at Hungerford.

Tries from Dan Holley and Sam Houghton, both converted by Bradley Clough, plus a Clough penalty put Hungerford 17-0 up.

After the break, Bicester drove prop Tom Horwood over for their only try, but Tom Allen’s score, converted by Clough, decided it.

Didcot beat Harwell 2nd 37-24 to go third in BB&O Division 2 South.

Kev Wort (2), Ben Cox (2) and Andy Taylor scored Didcot’s tries, with Paul Costello kicking three conversions and two penalties.

OTHER SCORERS

BB&O Premier A: Oxford Harlequins 2nd 86 (tries J Cousins 5, M O’Connor 4, A Cope 2, B Henderson, I Bradshaw, J Hardy; cons: J Todd 8), Reading Abbey 2nd 10.

BB&O Div 1 North: Oxford Harlequins 3rd 67 (tries I Phillips 4, J Hartley 2, A Edwards 2, T Mardle, J Hay, R Upson; cons M Mullender 6), Bicester 2nd 12 (tries D Spencer, A Benjamin; con C Tarratt).

BB&O Div 2 North: Bletchley 2nd 99, Bicester 3rd 10 (tries J Willmore, S John).