Witney 26, Grove 20

Two late penalties from George Bibby clinched an entertaining Southern Counties North derby for Witney.

The hosts never trailed in windy conditions at Hailey Road, but looked in trouble when Grove pulled it back to 20-20 on 69 minutes.

However, they couldn’t turn the screw and Witney, for whom full back Adam Hicks was outstanding, closed out their third win of the season.

Bibby missed a sitter of a penalty early on as Witney capitalised on a poor clearance from Grove scrum half Steve Lawrence.

The hosts were on top, and lock Charlie Bennett was just held up after eight minutes.

A fine break from Adam Hicks created the platform for Witney’s opening try two minutes later, which saw scrum half Gareth Campbell go over from a quick penalty.

Bibby converted and soon came close to scoring a try himself before losing the ball.

It was only a stay of execution for Grove as long passes from Will Worrall and Carl Strutt gave Lewis Collins space to score on the left.

Grove hit back with a well-struck penalty from fly half Roger Sevier, but were soon down to 14 men after flanker Zach Grant was yellow-carded for retaliation.

The visitors’ best player Tom Clipsham gave notice of his pace and almost set up a try for wing Charlie Young.

Another yellow card, this time for Sevier, put more pressure on the Grove defence, and it was no surprise when industrious flanker Wayne Caffekey blasted over for Witney’s third try.

No sooner had Grant returned to the fray than referee Keith Latham sin-binned Grove skipper Paul Harp-wood for not retreating .

But the visitors went into the break only 17-6 down after Sevier’s second penalty.

It got even better for Grove just after half-time when a textbook line-out move ended with No 8 Jamie Fredericks off-loading for hooker Steve Dixey to score a great try.

Sevier’s conversion made it 17-13, and the comeback was well and truly on.

However, Grove failed to use the wind to their advantage. Instead dogged defence and committed counter-attacking served Witney well.

Bibby gave Witney some respite with a 64th-minute penalty.

The try of the match soon followed as Clipsham ripped through midfield at high speed and found full back Jamie Burns on just the right line to sprint in under the posts for Sevier to convert.

Witney sealed the points through Bibby on 74 and 80 minutes.

Witney: A Hicks, Monks, Strutt, Tustin, L Collins (Rollinson 70), Bibby, G Campbell, Brocklebank (Serle 77), Grobler, Richens, Bennett, Fowler, Worrall, Caffekey (C Campbell 70), J Hicks (capt).

Grove: Burns, Peel, Davies, Clipsham, Young (Morris 64), Sevier, Lawrence, Bashford, Dixey (Wallbridge 63), Keen, Price, Harpwood (capt), Grant, Nicholl, Fredericks.

Referee: K Latham (Oxfordshire).

Man-of-the-match: A Hicks.