Rover Oxford travelled to Swindon aiming to continue their good pre-season form, but a poor performance saw them go down 3-2 in Saturday’s friendly.

The visitors controlled most of the possession, but solid defending from Swindon and silly errors meant Rover created little.

Swindon led 1-0 at the break, Rover getting themselves back into the game from a penalty corner which Daniel Smyth fired low into the bottom corner.

Smyth then set up Rover’s second with a shot that rebounded to Rich Beer, who made it 2-1.

However that was as good as it got for Rover, with Swindon netting twice to seal victory.

Banbury continued their pre-season build-up by beating Midlands side Burton 3-1.

A short-corner corner goal via a Tyson Nunneley drag- flick put Banbury ahead, Burton replying from a quick counter-attack goal which took a cruel deflection off Nunneley.

A well-worked passage of play resulted in Will Powell making it 2-1, and after Adrian Simons was fouled in the D, Dave Clark converted the resulting penalty flick.

Meanwhile, Banbury have been drawn at home to Gloucester City in the second round of the England Hockey Cup on October 3.

Wallingford pipped local rivals Abingdon 3-1 in a friendly at The Hithercroft.

After a goalless first half, Wallingford took the lead through Alun Lloyd, and a well- worked move saw Ed Allen make it 2-0.

Abingdon replied on the counter-attack to set up an interesting last ten minutes, during which Lloyd netted his second to complete the scoring.

Other results.

Friendlies: Banbury 2nd 2 (White 2), Cheltenham 4; Banbury 3rd 0, Cheltenham 6; Banbury 4th 1 (Tait), Kettering 2; Banbury 5th 0, Kettering 3; City of Oxford 4th 4 (Terry 2, Bougham, Sanderson), Bicester 2; City Bulls 8, Newbury 3.

Under 16 Oxon Boys League: Rover Oxford 1, City of Oxford 6 (Baugham 2, Knowles, Foster, Weaver, Wilks); Witney 0, Oxford Hawks 11.