Witney 36, Beaconsfield 0

Five second-half tries propelled leaders Witney to a comfortable home victory in Southern Counties North.

With their scrum totally dominant in the muddy conditions, there was much to please the Witney fans despite a turgid first 40 minutes.

Beaconsfield defended with real commitment in the first half, but the hosts could not turn territory into points.

However, once fly half Henry Lamb powered over soon after the interval, it became a different story.

Henry Lamb should have put Witney ahead with a tenth minute penalty and the crowd had to endure waves of aimless kicking before the breakthrough finally came.

In between, wing Lewis Collins spilled the ball on the left with the line at his mercy, having collected scrum half Gareth Campbell’s low pass and accelerated clear.

Witney’s other wing, James Monks, looked to be illegally impeded by full back Andrew Jackson as he chased a kick ahead on 30 minutes.

The home pack continued to apply the pressure and were rewarded on 38 minutes.

Prop Alan Richens went close before lock Charlie Bennett found room to force his way over.

Witney found far more fluency after Henry Lamb scored and converted his 46th-minute try.

Joe Rowles added energy as a replacement lock, but he could not match the immediate impact of Aaron Lambourne, another substitute.

A well-worked move ended with skipper James Lamb setting up Lambourne, who finished clinically with his first touch on 57 minutes.

Beaconsfield did not give up and No 8 Callum Wilkinson led the battle, but they were tiring.

Witney wrapped up the points with three more tries in the final ten minutes.

Replacement prop Mark Serle ensured the fine scrummaging work of debutant Jamie Burke was maintained and the hosts thought they had driven over for a try on 70 minutes, but referee Daniel Conway ruled it was held up.

But, from the following scrum, No 8 Wayne Campbell fed Gareth Campbell, who sniped over on the blindside for Henry Lamb to convert.

Witney struck again on 75 minutes when Henry Lamb set up his twin brother James to finish strongly on the left, the former converting.

Flanker Tim Muller had driven the hosts on throughout and his powerful run late on led to a penalty in midfield.

This gave Witney just enough time for Rowles to score from a catch-and-drive.

Witney: Phillips (Lambourne 56), Monks, Strutt, J Lamb (capt), L Collins, H Lamb, G Campbell, Burke (Serle 67), S Collins, Richens, Fowler (Rowles 50), Bennett, Muller, C Campbell, Caffekey.

Referee: D Conway (Oxfordshire).

Man-of-the-match: Muller.