Powergen Intermediate Cup: Two tries from Dave Johnson could not save Grove from a 40-24 home defeat to Stroud in South West Round 1.

The hosts surged back from 21-0 down to lead 24-21 in the second half, but lost momentum and finished with 13 men.

Despite being caught cold, Grove produced their best display of running rugby this season.

Three converted tries saw Stroud 21-0 ahead inside 15 minutes, but then Grove woke up.

Full back Nick Sevier blasted through the visitors' defence to score between the posts for fly half Dave Maryon to easily convert.

With both scrum half Paul Maryon and his brother Dave smashing long range touch kicks, Stroud were held back.

Then, after 35 minutes, centre Johnson flew through the shattered Stroud defence to score a converted try.

Maryon slotted a penalty to leave Grove only four points behind.

They led after an amazing second-half break-out that saw Johnson sprint clear and Maryon add the conversion.

But from this point, things started to go badly wrong.

Stroud sneaked a converted try after a mass melee broke out and they were soon 35-24 up.

With Kevin Woods sin-binned, Johnson hospitalised with a head wound and all their replacements used, Grove played on with 13 and conceded again.

Witney crashed out of the cup with a 17-3 home loss to Cheltenham despite an improved display from last week.

South West 1 side Cheltenham started fairly confidently, but were met with solid tackling from debutant centre Jem McIlveen and fly half Tom Harper.

The visitors opened the scoring midway through the half, but Witney almost equalised after a move between skipper Andy Merriman and fellow front-rower Andy Gosling.

A soft Cheltenham try saw them 10-0 up at the break, but Harper's penalty reduced the deficit.

Henry Lamb and a rampaging Joe Rowles put lock Alan Richens into space before he was held up over the line.

Witney had other chances to level, but a pitch-length run from Cheltenham's scrum half set up a converted try top make it 17-3.

The same round saw Henley Wanderers upset 41-12 at lower division Cheltenham North, Oxford Harlequins walk over Stow-on-the-Wold, while Swindon received the same favour from Chipping Norton.

Banbury Bulls completed a disappointing weekend in the competition for Oxfordshire clubs with a 28-20 loss to Towcestrians in Midlands Round 1.

In a highly-entertaining eight-try tie, the decisive moment came midway through the second half with the sin-binning of Bulls' second row Ali Burbidge.

Banbury appeared to be gaining the upper hand in the critical forward exchanges, but the visitors managed to build a buffer in this period that, despite a late charge, the Bulls could not overcome.

Skipper Ed Cummings gave Banbury the lead with a 15th minute try after wonderful approach work from 19-year-old wing Adam Walsh.

Sean Allwood added a second, but two converted tries saw the hosts 14-10 ahead at the break.

This soon became 21-10 and 21-15 after Walsh dived over wide on the left.

With Burbidge in the bin, Towcestrians surged to 28-15, which meant Sean Bannister's try was only a consolation.