RUNNING back Willie Long racked up 127 yards and a touchdown for Oxford Saints as they beat Ipswich Cardinals 23-10 to put themselves back in the hunt for a BAFL Division 1 South play-off place.

After their mauling last time out against the Kent Exiles, Saints were desperate to get back to winning ways.

And they wasted little time in making their intentions clear.

Quarterback Jay Taylor found Long on the 20-yard line, and he jinked past a number of challenges to score a touchdown. The two-point conversion gave Saints an early 8-0 lead.

After a big hit from Ian Harry kept out Ipswich, they instead opted for a field goal to reduce the deficit.

In the second quarter, Oxford increased their advantage when Pete Cleaver scored their second touchdown of the game.

Ipswich hit back through a touchdown and conversion to make it 14-10, but Adam Newman's field goal stretched the lead to 17-10 at half-time.

The second-half was a much tighter affair, with the next score crucial.

Neither side could add to their total in the third quarter, but after Long went on a staggering 42-yard run, Chris Taylor bulldozed his way into the end zone from a yard out to make it 23-10.