South West 1 East

Captain Ian Jeffreys notched a hat-trick of tries as Wallingford pipped Reading Abbey 28-24.

Wallingford had led 20-7 and 25-12, but it took a late penalty from wing Ralph Smith to clinch the away win.

A missed tackle allowed Abbey to open the scoring with a converted try.

Jeffreys’s first try came from a powerful pushover effort that left him with a simple finish, Smith converting and adding a penalty.

It was not long before scrum half Matt Dawes fed Jeffreys, who stormed in for his second. Smith converted and added a penalty.

Abbey, despite having a man in the sin bin, scored their second try just after the break, but another powerful scrum allowed Jeffreys to complete his treble.

The hosts managed two tries and a conversion as they threw caution to the wind, but man-of-the-match Smith made a try-saving tackle before kicking the decisive penalty.

Witney closed to within a point of top spot after edging out Amersham & Chiltern 13-10 at Hailey Road.

Full back Ed Mitcham’s penalty sealed the win, just after his opposite number had equalised.

Amersham took the lead with a converted try after their winger ran back fly half Henry Lamb’s clearance with interest.

Witney’s forwards, led by back-row trio Jez Hicks, Tim Muller and Carl Campbell gained the ascendancy.

Mitcham got Witney on the board with a penalty, but the crucial moment came just before half-time.

Muller used lock Charlie Bennett and Hicks as dummy runners and charged over for a superb individual effort, Mitcham converting.

Amersham dominated possesion in the second half, but Witney wasted a great chance when Bennett couldn’t get the ball away to Campbell after being stopped five metres short.

The visitors finally slotted a penalty, but Mitcham soon replied in kind.