KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP ONE
OXFORD RL were knocked out of the play-offs after an agonising 30-26 defeat at Hemel Stags.
The visitors matched Hemel’s five-try tally, but were ultimatedly denied by the accurate place-kicking of BJ Swindells.
Swindells put Stags ahead with a penalty, but Oxford hit back with tries from Jonny Leather and Kenny Calladine, both converted by Leather.
Hemel rallied to lead 14-12 at the break, with James Hill and Eddie Mbaraga going over and Swindells converting both.
The see-saw scoring continued when a brilliant kick from Brett Robinson into the corner saw Oli Johnson crash over for Oxford.
Shaun Robinson extended Oxford’s lead with try No 4, but again Leather missed the conversion.
Stags levelled when Swindells wriggled over and converted his own try.
Swindells’s second saw Stag lead 24-20 and then he converted his hat-trick try for 30-20.
Johnson’s second try, converted by Alex Thompson, gave Oxford hope, but they were denied a chance of victory by Aidan Pritchard’s last-minute tackle on Shaun Robinson.
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