Oxford Harlequins 38, Old Redcliffians 34

OXFORD Harlequins gave their relegation fight a timely boost in a truly dramatic National 3 South West match.

The bare facts are that they gained a bonus-point victory to go above Amersham & Chiltern, whom they host in another crunch clash on March 31, on games won.

But this was a match equally full of skills and errors that was finally decided in the last minute.

The lead had changed hands six times before Quins flanker Sione Vaiom’ounga sealed their victory with a 79th-minute interception try.

Even then Old Recliffians struck again from the final play to make sure they left with two bonus points.

The Bristol visitors’ pack was on top early on and they took the lead with a well-controlled catch-and-drive try from hooker Liam McCreight.

Quins determined centre Martin Nutt charged down scrum half Josh Mortimore’s clearance to run in a try on 18 minutes.

Fly half Matt Smith’s conversion gave Quins the lead, but back came Redcliffians, with centre Joe Hall scoring from an overlap.

Flanker Michael Forde left the field after being unable to shrug off the flu, which had affected several Quins players.

The assured Smith’s scything run set up try No 2 for supporting wing Huw Jones.

Smith’s conversion and a subsequent long-range penalty made it 17-10 at the break.

Redcliffians’ fly half Graeme Beveridge made good ground for their third try on 44 minutes, scored by flanker Scott Coster and converted by Hall.

Mortimore’s 52-minute box-kick proved just the job for flanker Jed Hooper, who collected the ball in acres of space to score, Hall converting.

Quins gained a lifeline soon afterwards when Vaiomo’unga looked to have knocked on, but referee Richard Harding ruled he had kicked ahead, and the Tongan ploughed over for a try, converted by Smith.

Jonathan Hall came on at tight-head prop to give Quins’ scrum the edge.

However, they had to come from behind again after wing Matt Coles squeezed over on the left for 29-24.

Redcliffians could not stop Nutt blasting through the middle for try No 5.

Smith’s conversion made it 31-29, but the visitors came back with more adventure.

This proved their undoing on 79 minutes when Vaiomo’unga snaffled a speculative pass and his tired legs just about carried him over the line from his own half, Smith converting.

Replacement Lewis Beer reacted first to a chip to score in stoppage time, but it was too late to affect the result.

Oxford Harlequins: Mayfield, Pepiol (Noyce 66), Nutt, Tevita, Jones, Smith, Cosins, Chadone (capt), Edney, Steventon (Hall 56), Sammut, Brown, Forde (Farahani 27), Vaiomo’unga, Powell.

Referee: R Harding (Devon).

Man-of-the-match: Vaiomo’unga.