Southern Counties North

A SUPERB first-half display earned Wallingford a 36-22 victory over Slough.

Wallingford led 33-5 at half-time after scoring five tries, but it was followed by a lacklustre second period.

A well-worked line-out move eneded with hooker Tom Hill scoring their first try.

Fly half Ralph Smith jinked through for try No 2 and then darted over for his second, converting both for good measure.

In between, Slough drove over for a try, then Wallingford wing Tom Wemyss finished off a flowing move, Smith converting Wallingford’s fifth try was their best as Smith, Angus Brettell and Glenn Dearlove combined for Brettell to score, Smith converting.

Slough punished Wallingford’s complacency after the break, scoring three tries and a conversion.

Wallingford had lock Tom Rowberry sin-binned and managed a further penalty from Smith.

Grove were edged out 33-30 at leaders Beaconsfield in a dramatic game that saw wing Guy Nicholl grab a try treble and centre Peter Cakebread red-carded.

Beaconsfield went ahead with a penalty, Grove fly half Dave Maryon replying in kind.

By this stage, Cakebread had received his first yellow card and a Beaconsfield lock had joined him in the bin.

Nicholl sprinted in for a brace of tries before Beaconsfield managed their opening try.

The hosts’ second try made it 13-13, then Nicholl dummied his way over for his hat-trick.

Cakebread’s second yellow card came for a retaliatory punch, but Grove centre Jamie Burns touched down following a quick penalty, Maryon converting for 25-13.

Beaconsfield used their one-man advantage to engineer a converted try.

Grove wing Harry Carr collected a dropped ball to run in their fith try.

Beaconsfield stormed back with a try for 30-25 then bagged another after Grove claimed the referee had missed a blatant forward pass.

Deep into stoppage time, Grove hooker Steve Dixey was yellow-carded for going over the top and Beaconsfield slotted the winning penalty.

Alchester lost 50-31 at home to Wootton Bassett.