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.
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