Oxford Harlequins 26, Barnstaple 3

Two tries in five second-half minutes ensured another bonus point victory for Oxford Harlequins in National 3 South West.

Wing Huw Jones and centre Dom Maley bagged the crucial scores on 50 and 55 minutes to keep Quins on track for a third-place finish.

The hosts were solid without being spectacular, but much credit must go to Barnstaple’s strong defence and commitment to running rugby.

It looked as if Quins may run away with it in the final quarter, but they had to be content with four hard-fought tries and the knowledge that their set-pieces had performed well throughout.

Fly half Neil Giddy put Barnstaple ahead with a second-minute drop goal after some superb early pressure.

But Quins were unperturbed, although full back Graham Crapper did well to shrug off a huge hit from former Samoan international centre Mark Fatialofa.

Wing Martin Nutt was just forced into touch on the right, but on seven minutes, Quins’ impressive centre Maley showed strength and skill to score their opening try.

Fly half Kenny Sewell converted and Quins were soon dominating the territory.

Scrum half Nick Haydon was stopped just short after a tapped penalty.

Barnstaple had captain Si Watkins sin-binned for killing the ball after flanker Ryan Newman disrupted a scrum.

Quins wasted the chance, but lock Morgan Cross forced his way over on 21 minutes after Maley’s initial break.

It was still 12-3 at half-time as Quins at times over-elaborated, while stand-in scrum half Paul Scheres was at the centre of Barnstaple’s best moments.

Nutt and lock Andy Boyle received the Fatialofa treatment either side of the break, while Cross continued to dominate the line-outs.

Any hopes Barnstaple harboured of victory were snuffed out in a five-minute spell.

First, Maley’s show-and-go created space for wing Huw Jones to canter in for try No 3.

Then centre Anthony Cope’s incisive break gave Maley a simple run to the posts, Sewell converting both.

Quins controlled the territory, but could only create half-chances such as a pass that went behind Boyle when he looked to charge for the line.

The visitors’ tenacity was shown by Giddy’s willingness to run the ball out from behind his own posts after they had turned over Quins’ attempted catch and drive.

But they barely had a sniff off a score in the final quarter.

Oxford Harlequins: Crapper, Nutt, Cope, Maley, Jones, Sewell, Haydon (Noyce 71), Eckert, Chadbone (capt), DeLange (Needham 50), Boyle, Cross, Davies (Pearson 65), Newman, Welburn.

Referee: F Kirby (Durham) Man-of-the-match: Maley.