Banbury Bulls 24, Witney 24

The match may have ended in confusion, but it is Banbury who will play in their first Oxfordshire Cup final since 2002.

Witney’s players raised their arms aloft after lock Owen Fowler booted the ball into touch thinking they had won this exciting semi-final as the away team.

But had they been familiar with the rules, they would have seen that drawn matches are first decided on tries scored.

Banbury edged this 4-3, but even they took time to realise they had won a match that Witney dominated territorially.

With a red card for Bulls’ replacement Craig Wyatt and a disallowed conversion the hosts were convinced Darren De Bruyn had kicked, the large crowd were not left short-changed!

Witney full back Ed Mitchem showed his kicking power with a fourth-minute penalty from near half way going just wide.

And he made no mistake soon afterwards from a three-pointer closer to the posts.

Banbury’s scrummage was not always solid, but a strong shove saw them wheel Witney’s set piece on ten minutes.

And from their own put in, No 8 Simon Brand picked up to feed scrum half Dyfrig Davies down the blindside.

Davies caught the defence napping and centre Dave Taylor converted for 7-3.

Referee Keith Latham was not slow to blow his whistle, and Mitchem’s second penalty reduced the arrears on 13 minutes.

Witney were now in control and powerful wing James Monks was just held up, but some slick passing allowed him to score on the right a minute later.

Visiting flanker Carl Campbell was prominent throughout, although he must have been surprised at the space he was given to canter over from 30 metres out on the half hour.

Mitchem’s conversion from wide on the left hit a post, which was to prove decisive.

Bulls had spent much of the half on the back foot, but fly half Grant Holmes conjured a try out of nothing for lock David Phipps on 36 minutes.

Mitchem’s third penalty put Witney 19-12 up on 48 minutes and came after flanker Wyatt was sin-binned.

Banbury, however, hit back almost immediately with Davies putting Sean Bannister, who as equally impressive at flanker and hooker, through a hole in the Witney defence.

Bannister touched down under the posts, but De Bruyn’s conversion was ruled out despite his later insistence the ball had gone over the bar.

Mitchem missed a couple of penalties as Banbury were kept penned back.

Witney capitalised on an error from Taylor by moving the ball at pace and sending wing Carl Strutt over on the left after 65 minutes.

There was plenty of drama to come, firstly with Taylor making amends by blasting over after Bannister had tapped and gone in a flash.

De Bruyn’s conversion made it 24-24 and put Bulls ahead on try count The next action saw Wyatt sent-off for stamping on Witney scrum half Gareth Campbell.

Despite being a man down, Banbury had more of the play late on, with replacement wing Andy Collett just forced out on the left on 76 minutes.

Had Witney realised they needed to score again, their tactics may have changed, but Bulls’ spirit and defence carried them into the final.

Banbury: Flemming, Woodward, Walsh, Taylor, Smith (Collett 70), Holmes, Davies, Edmunds (Brock 67), Stratford (De Bruyn 22), Gilbert, Pratt, Phipps, Phillips (Wyatt 42), Bannister, Brand (capt).

Witney: Mitchem, Monks (Gouldie 45), Tustin, J Lamb, Strutt, H Lamb, G Campbell, Brocklebank, Groeblar, Richens, Fowler, J Hicks (capt), Muller, C Campbell, Rowles (Hook 66).

Referee: K Latham (Oxfordshire).

Man-of-the-match: Bannister.