Oxford H ………………33
Henley ………………… 17
OXFORD Harlequins put in a dominant display to overcome local rivals Henley Hawks in a thrilling, hard-fought derby.
With both sides sitting above basement club London Welsh in the table, bragging rights – and the crucial win – were not to be easily contested.
The Quins cut first blood as Harry Burn powered in an eighth-minute try, but Henley answered back. Oliver Snook did just as his surname suggests, crossing over only four minutes later, as Will Baildon kicked the Hawks 7-5 ahead.
That lead was brief, as Kieran Jenkins fired over a 25thminute to reclaim the advantage. AJ Maccoubrey and John Ireland then clearly got the memo to increase it as their
31st and 34th minute tries gave the hosts a 20-5 half-time lead.
Henley restarted intently, as Leo Webb touched down in the 47th, before Baildon’s unconverted try, cut the deficit to three.
Pressure was on, but the hosts rose to the occasion. Toby Haines crashed over in the 60th. Jenkins added the extras, and then slotted over two calmly taken penalties, to see out the victory.
TEAMS
OXFORD H: Primett, Boarder, Wilkinson, McNally, Harding, Jenkins, Ireland, Johnson, Burn, Haines, Vernede, Jenkins, Field, Mccoubrey, Whitwell Replacements: Cashman, Hopkins, Bicknell, Todd, Henderson HENLEY: Collins, Hayhow, Fakatou, Elsey, Lunnon, Goodison, Noone, Benning, White, Baildon, Gordon, Snook, Webb, Busby, Wood Replacements: Kinniburgh, Adablah, Taylor, White, Cooke
REFEREE: Peter Buchanan ATTENDANCE: 212
Star player Jamie Whitwell -Oxford H
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