Oxford University produced a pacy, if not clinical display, to overcome Esher 39-12 on Monday night.

The Dark Blues ran in seven tries from some dynamic moves, but all too often they lacked the control to consistently assert them- selves.

Wings Sean Morris and Tim Catling notched two tries apiece with the former looking particularly impressive before being replaced at half-time.

Oxford caught their hosts cold in the third minute when centre Sam Humphry-Baker broke on the right and fed Morris, who finished strongly.

Esher, who included former Scotland international Rob Henderson at centre, hit back well, peppering the Oxford line with a series of mauls.

From one of these, centre Neil Taylor's cross kick was touched down in the corner by Will Grimwade on ten minutes.

The Dark Blues' second try was all about their back row.

No 8 Peter Wright made the initial break, and when the ball was recycled, skipper Peter Clarke's sharp pass sent fellow flanker Stan McKeen under the posts for Ross Swanson to convert.

Pace was the key to Oxford's next score on the half hour. A lightning counter attack on the right with Morris and scrum half Toby Henry prominent ended with Catling diving over on the left to make it 17-5.

Morris produced another powerful finish to score on the stroke of half-time after a great pass from Catling, who had come in off the left wing.

Oxford lacked penetration after the break and Esher pulled a try back through Taylor after he successfully chased a hack ahead, and Chad Beaumburg converted.

The visitors did, however, regain momentum with hooker Dan Rosen forcing his way over after a short line-out move on 65 minutes.

Wright dived over from a five-metre scrum on 73 minutes, and Swanson converted.

Oxford's former All Blacks hooker, Anton Oliver, finally entered the fray as a replacement flanker a minute later.

But with much of the second half being played with uncontested scrums, he didn't get the chance to really impose himself.

The final score saw Catling walk in for his second try after a great flat pass from replacement scrum half Brendan McKerchar.

Oxford University: O'Flanagan (Mahony 50), Morris (Burnett 40), Humphry-Baker (O'Flanagan 70), Gregory, Catling, Swanson, Henry (McKerchar 60), Lutton (Johnson 60), Rosen, Thompson, Van Zyl (Oliver 74), Kench, McKeen (Payne 46), Clarke (capt) (Cheeseman 40), Wright.

Man-of-the-match: Wright.