RUGBY UNION: Wallingford reach semi-finals (From Oxford Mail)

RUGBY UNION: Wallingford reach semi-finals

5:06pm Monday 8th February 2010

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Wallingford reached the Oxfordshire Cup semi-finals with a 28-13 home victory over a determined Chipping Norton side.

The hosts fielded a mixed strength team, with 12 of the starting XV having played league matches the previous day.

Wallingford took the lead against the run of play with a penalty from fly half Jackson Sayce.

This turned the tide for the hosts and their opening try soon followed when prop Darren Small, hooker Tom Hill and scrum half Derek Viljoen combined to set up centre Pete Holton, with Sayce converting.

Chippy’s set-pieces were struggling, with Wallingford lock Tom Rowberry regularly stealing their line-out ball, but they were creating chances.

However, they could not stop Wallingford captain and No 8 Ian Jeffreys powering over after Viljoen’s break.

Chippy’s Liam Busby slotted a penalty just before half time and they reduced the arrears to 15-10 in the second period.

A well-worked try was finished by Chris Dixon, with Busby converting from the touchline.

Wallingford replied when Sayce strolled through a static defence and converted his own try and added a penalty.

The final 20 minutes saw a penalty apiece from Busby and Sayce.

Witney received a walkover into the last four after last season’s runners-up Banbury were unable to field a side.

Banbury coach Grant Holmes said injuries and unavailability meant he ran out of players for what would have been their second match of the weekend.

He said: “It was very disappointing to have to make that decision, but when you don’t have enough players to put a side out there is not a lot you can do.”

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