Oxford Harlequins 34, Chippenham 14

John Brodley's reign as Oxford Harlequins' coach got off to the best possible start with an emphatic home win in South West 1.

Chippenham are also struggling in the league and were missing several first-choice backs, but that shouldn't discredit a victory Quins hope will kick-start their season.

Quins still lie bottom of the table, and it will take a lot to reach safety, but this win, inspired by Huw Jones and Anthony Cope, should give them heart.

Chippenham could have been 6-0 up inside six minutes, but full back Marc Heywood missed two relatively straight-forward penalties.

Quins' fly half Mark Forth, on the other hand, slotted a more difficult chance on ten minutes.

With props Peter Boulton and Paul DeLange in good form, Quins' scrum looked solid, but it wasn't until the 17th-minute sin-binning of Chippenham centre Karl Brant that they took control.

Jones went close on the right before centre Neil Spottiswoode squeezed over on the left from Cope's sharp pass.

Chippenham barely had time to kick off before they conceded again on 22 minutes.

Lock Angus McDowell broke through the middle and off-loaded for the galloping Jones to sprint in by the corner flag.

Chippenham had no answer to full back Jones's pace and angles of running, so it was no surprise when he created try No 3 for supporting wing Andy Noyce.

Forth converted for 20-0 and everything suddenly looked rosy for a side who had lost their previous six matches.

Chippenham finally gained a foothold when their stoppage-time barrage of the Quins' line allowed flanker Nick Doyle to stretch over, with Heywood converting.

Any worries of a Chippenham comeback were quashed on 51 minutes when Forth found Spottiswoode with a fine pass and Duncan Lynchsmith jinked inside to finish superbly.

Forth converted and spent much of the half launching some useful wind-assisted clearances.

Quins were over-elaborate at times and will need to reduce their errors against stronger teams.

But they struck for a fifth time on 74 minutes when lock Adam Pearson and flanker Matt Young set up debutant replacement Ali Widdop to blast over, with Forth converting.

Quins skipper Simon Chadbone almost created a breakaway try for McDowell, but the latter fumbled his pass.

Chippenham managed a consolation score late on when No 8 James Gaiger went over from a lineout move and Heywood converted.

But this was Quins' day and could be a springboard for things to come.

Oxford Harlequins: H Jones, Lynchsmith, Sevier Spottiswoode, Noyce, Forth, Cope (Sewell 78), DeLange, Chadbone (capt), Boulton, McDowell, Pearson, Goodger (Widdop 60), Young (Biggs 75), Nicholl.

Referee: T Gee (Midlands).

Man-of-the-match: H Jones.