OXFORD Saints perfect record was emphatically ended in a 39-7 thrashing at South West Conference Division 1 title favourites Tamworth Phoenix.

Without a host of first-choice players including quarterback Jay Taylor, running back Chris Taylor and linebackers Chris Ellis and Ben Tolley, it was always going to be a tough test of Saints’ 100 per cent record.

Saints’ normally tight def-ence took just three plays to leak the first score. A great pass from Phoenix quarterback Stuart Ennis to Ricky Livingston 12 yards out saw the first score of many for Tamworth, Andy Studer slotting the point to give Tamworth a 7-0 lead.

Tamworth doubled their lead in the second quarter when Ennis found James Hossack in the end zone, with Studer converting.

And it got worse for Saints when a pass from quarterback Alex Spurling was picked off by Tamworth’s Philip Dayus, who raced in for an unconverted touchdown for a 20-0 lead.

Ennis scored a close-range touchdown, before Thomas Worrell made it 32-0 with a 24 yard touchdown, again unconverted, a couple of minutes into the second half.

Daniel Shakespeare’s touchdown made it 38-0 with Studer adding the extra point, before Oxford quarterback Sohail Jouya’s throw found Brian Lewis, who dived into the end zone, with Jonny Dover’s kick wrapping up the scoring.

Saints will hope to be at full-strength on June 20 when they make the trip to Leicester Falcons.