Chipping Norton 10, Witney 33

Three tries inside ten first-half minutes proved decisive as Witney claimed the derby spoils in Southern Counties North.

The league leaders came to Greystones expecting to be worked very hard and the hosts shaded the second half.

But this was another impressive, well-controlled victory for Witney, who have now won nine out of nine league games.

It was not classic entertainment, with the second half often proving very scrappy, but the visitors’ comparative class was still evident.

Witney took the lead thanks to two well-struck penalties from full back Ed Mitchem after six and nine minutes.

There were turnovers aplenty before Witney put together a clinical move that saw lively wing Lewis Collins finish well on 19 minutes following fly half Henry Lamb’s pass.

Try No 2 stemmed from flanker Tim Muller’s break, then some quick off-loading gave impressive lock Joe Rowles space to plough over.

Mitchem converted this and a third try, scored by Muller after peeling off a scrum.

Chippy remained resilient throughout and only some superb defence prevented them from converting pressure into points late in the half.

Witney prop Alan Richens was sin-binned for collapsing a maul, while Chippy lock Simon Hawken showed intent with a powerful run.

Centre Adam Smith kicked a penalty soon after half-time and the hosts had plenty of territory.

Chippy looked set to score when camped in the Witney 22 on 65 minutes, but the visitors stole the ball and Lewis Collins led the counter attack.

After kicking ahead, Collins was crudely taken out by Hawken, earning the latter a yellow card.

Witney hooker Sam Collins went close on the left before the visitors bagged their fourth try on 72 minutes with a pushover score from No 8 Wayne Caffekey.

Witney wing James Monks could have scored a fifth try as he hacked ahead when scrum half Gareth Campbell’s cross kick took a lucky bounce.

But Monks lacked the football skills to control and touch the ball down under pressure.

Witney added a further penalty from Mitchem whose place-kicking had gone awry in the second half.

Chippy managed a deserved try with the final play as flanker Matt Dawson deceived the defence from a tapped penalty and ran in under the posts for Smith to convert.

Chipping Norton: Nutt, Pitman (Dixon 67), Wawrzyniak, Smith, Penny, Eaton, Lakin, Davey, Waldron (capt) (Millard 53), Holland, Hancock, Hawken, Chapman (Thompson 55), Dawson, Newman.

Witney: Mitchem, Monks, Strutt, J Lamb (capt), L Collins (McRoberts 76), H Lamb, G Campbell, Griffiths, S Collins, Richens, Bennett (Serle 14-17 & 52-61 [blood), Rowles, Muller, MacBurnie (Serle 38-44), Caffekey (Fuller 73).

Referee: K Latham (Oxfordshire).

Man-of-the-match: Rowles.