Oxfordshire Plate: Veteran fly half Neil Smith, who still turns out for Bicester's 3rd XV, provided the killer blow to knock his own club out of the Plate on Sunday.

Smith, whose son Alastair was playing fly half for the home side, landed his fifth penalty to clinch a shock 25-24 win for pub side Blue Boar in an exciting semi-final at Oxford Road.

In the final at Iffley Road on Sunday, March 28, Blue Boar, who only play friendly matches, will face Henley Wanderers.

Neil Smith, now 47, was one of five Bicester players in the invitation side, two of whom, Tony Cannon and Dave Clayton, still occasionally turn out for their 1st XV league side - indeed Clayton is the team's coach.

The other two, Nigel Cox and Stuart Venning, are members of the Bicester's Veterans Cup side.

Bicester took advantage of the wind and slope to sail into a 24-3 half-time lead, with tries from flanker Richard Ingham, prop Rob Thurlow and a spectcular individual effort from skipper Chad Ward.

Alastair Smith landed two conversions, while his father replied with a single penalty for the Blue Boar.

The second half belonged to the visitors. Even the temporary dismissal to the sin-bin of Cox failed to produce any response from lacklustre Bicester.

Winger Paul Shepherd squeezed in at the corner for an unconverted try, and after Neil Smith landed a 30-metre penalty, superb mauling by Clayton resulted in flanker Carl Alder plunging over for another unconverted try.

Smith's third penalty put Blue Boar only five points adrift with 25 minutes left.

As Bicester infringed yet again, Smith popped over a 20-metre kick, and five minutes from time, he put Blue Boar in the final with a well-struck 30-metre effort.

In the other semi-final, renowned cup fighters Littlemore went down 23-10 at home to Henley Wanderers, a side two divisions above them on the league ladder.

The home side conceded a converted try after only two minutes, before Wanderers, who had to defend for long periods, increased their lead with a penalty.

Littlemore hit back early in the second half when veteran prop Carl Wright was driven over for a try from a five-metre line-out, Adam Thompson converting from the touchline.

Henley survived another period of pressure and then took advantage of some sloppy defending to score a penalty and two unconverted tries.

Thompson added a penalty for Littlemore, but it was too little, too late.