Marlborough School (Woodstock) held on for a thrilling 22-19 win over Cokethorpe (Witney) in the Oxfordshire Under 14 Cup final at Witney RFC.
Captain Iestyn James led by example for Marlborough, scoring their opening try with scrum half Oli Dawkins’s conversion hitting a post.
Cokethorpe hit back with right wing Ryan Oliver crossing the Marlborough line before his conversion also hit an upright.
A Joe Martingale-Morris try restored Marlborough’s lead, with Dawkins landing the conversion.
But Cokethorpe, with second row Justin Foster shining, were level again by half-time as loose head prop Elijah Vieira-Faria charged over for a try, converted by Oliver.
Dawkins was showing great tactical awareness and his penalty, awarded for a trip in front of the posts, edged Marlborough 15-12 ahead.
The Woodstock lads stretch-ed away with a third try by Declan Bell, converted from a tight angle by Dawkins.
But Cokethorpe refused to lie down and replacement centre Redford Curtis, who had been out through a hip injury, came on to dive over for a try.
Oliver landed the conversion to reduce the deficit to three points and set up a tense finish, but Marlborough held on to lift the cup.
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