Oxford Harlequins 35, Reading 35

OXFORD Harlequins were left frustrated at their second successive South West 1 draw in a match they had begun in spectacular style.

Having shown great spirit to come from 19-0 down at Mounts Bay last week, this time they let slip a 27-3 lead at home to recently-relegated Reading.

Both matches suggest Quins could be a force to be reckoned with in this league, but they will need to tighten up defensively if they are to fulfil their potential.

The crowd hardly had time to get used to Quins' new venue at Oxford RFC before they reached the 20-mark.

Debutant winger Pete Davis began the onslaught with a second-minute penalty and although Reading's ex-Chinnor fly half James Cathcart equalised immediately, the pressure was relentless.

Quins cut the Reading defence to ribbons on six minutes as Beau Wilson, Davis and Jake White combined to set up Andy Henley for a slick try.

Davis converted this and Henley's second on eight minutes after Wilson had again sliced through Reading's midfield.

Visiting full back Nick Brooks was lucky not to be sin-binned for killing the ball after Andy Henley's chip and charge, but Davis's penalty made it 20-3.

Quins were on fire, so it was perhaps surprising that it took another ten minutes before try No 3 arrived.

No 8 Paddy Soper, Quins' outstanding forward, intercepted a pass from Phil Simmons and broke up the right wing.

He did not have the gas to get over the line, but kept the ball alive before the supporting Wilson finished the job and Davis converted.

Cathcart reduced the arrears to 27-6 with his second penalty.

Reading too bagged an intercept try after 26 minutes when skipper Alex Wallace pounced on Owen Gustaffson's loose pass and unselfishly fed winger Sean Lynch to score, Cathcart converting.

Quins' best move of the match saw centres Wilson and Henley create try No 4 for full back White, who injured a hamstring in the process.

Reading's heavier, more forceful pack slowly began seizing control and Quins' lock Ali Cradock was yellow-carded for interfering in a ruck.

Simmons beat a sluggish James Serrano to touch down Lynch's clever chip kick in first-half injury time, but Quins still looked well-placed at 32-18.

Cathcart began the second half by slotting a penalty, although Reading had to defend hard against some concerted pressure on their line.

Quins' replacements Tom Chapman and Elio Recchia both went close, before the unpredictable referee Richard James sent flanker Jamie Cope to the sin-bin.

Forward aggression eventually saw Reading flanker Dave Carey driven over on 57 minutes and Cathcart converted for 32-28.

Cathcart was then sin-binned himself on 21 minutes and Davis punished Reading by slotting the penalty.

Reading struck decisively when Davis misjudged a high ball and allowed Simmons in to score and Wallace slotted the conversion.

Davis suffered a back spasm in the closing stages, as 14-man Quins had to settle for a point.

Oxford Harlequins: White (Serrano 31), J Henley, A Henley, Wilson, Davis, Gustaffson (capt), A Cope, Eckert (Chapman 40), Chadbone, DeLange, Cradock, Hocevar, J Cope, Young (Recchia 17), Soper.

Referee: R James (Hampshire).

Quins' man-of-the-match: Wilson.