Grove returned to the top of the Southern Counties North table with a 36-16 bonus-point win over Oxfordshire rivals Alchester. Fly half Tom Miles gave Alchester the lead inside two minutes with a penalty, but Grove hit b ack with a try from flanker Carl Alder, Nick Sevier adding the touchline conversion.

Tom Miles reduced the arrears with a penalty for the visitors, but again Grove replied with a try, this time No 8 Joe Bellinger slipping the ball to Owen Gustafson, who made it 12-6.

Just before half-time, Grove prop Martyn Walsh was given a yellow card for alleged stamping. The kick was missed, but Miles cut the deficit with another penalty.

Grove pressure in the second half led to another penalty, slotted by Sevier.

Captain Ben Nicholl came off the bench and soon made his mark by scoring under the posts after a break from new centre Peter Cakebread. Sevier’s conversion made it 22-9.

Alchester fought back strongly and were pressing hard when Guy Nicholl made a great interception and ran the length of the field for Grove’s bonus-point try. Sevier’s conversion was a formality.

The visitors did not give up and replied with an interception try from centre Jack Briggs, Miles converting.

But Grove had the last word when Cakebread set up Guy Nicholl’s second try and Sevier added the extras.

Wallingford finally picked up their first win of the season with a 28-3 victory at Marlborough.

The winning margin could have been a lot greater had Wallingford been more clinical.

They dominated the scrums, often stealing Marlborough ball or forcing penalties.

Marlborough took the lead with a penalty, but Wallingford hit back with two tries that were almost identical.

Derek Viljoen, sniping from the base of a ruck, scored both and Ralph Smith coolly slotted the conversions.

Wallingford had a dozen other chances to score in the first half, but were thwarted by poor handling or decision-making.

A third try did eventually come through winger Tom Wemyss.

It was a similar story after the break, with Wallingford dominant up front but failing to make the most of their advantage.

The bonus point was achieved when Ian Jeffreys bulldozed his way over, Smith maintaining his 100 per cent kicking record to make it 28-3, which is how it stayed.