IN-FORM Banbury finished 2018 with a sixth straight league win as they beat Beaconsfield 50-10 at home to climb to third in the table.

Bulls defied the freezing and wet conditions to run in eight tries in the South West 1 East fixture.

Tommy Gray’s individual score, Ed Phillips converting, started the rout.

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  • Prop Pete Boulton crashes over for Banbury’s fourth try against Beaconsfield Picture: Simon Grieve

Aled Lewis replied with a penalty for Beaconsfield, but Banbury made it 17-3 at the break thanks to tries from Ian Isham and Ed Berridge.

The four-try bonus point was secured at the beginning of the second half, when Pete Boulton crashed over, Phillips adding the extras.

Lewis converted his own score for Beaconsfield, but Banbury went on to cross a further four times.

Jacob Mills, Berridge, Duncan Leese and Matt Goode dived over, Phillips converting the first three, as Bulls eased to victory.

Witney recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they impressively saw off Royal Wootton Bassett 31-12 at home.

The victory has further boosted their survival hopes, but their poor start means they are still six points adrift of safety.

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  • Witney's Ryan Harris finds time for a smile before scrum down against Royal Wootton Bassett Picture: George Lewis

Witney’s Ted Landray kicked an early penalty, but Wootton led 5-3 when Dan Hales touched down.

The hosts reacted well to go 18-5 up, thanks to tries from Rhys Morgan and Matt Webb, Landray, who kicked a second penalty, converting once.

Wootton cut the deficit to six points at half-time when Hale crossed again, Tom Fieldsend adding the extras.

Two Landray penalties put Witney 24-12 ahead with 15 minutes to go.

And victory was sealed on 74 minutes, when Webb dived over for his second try, Landray converting.

Hales completed his hat-trick for the visitors late on, but Witney were already out of sight.

Oxford Harlequins ended a five-match winless run when beating Salisbury 29-8 away from home.

Skipper James Stacey’s penalty put the visitors in front on ten minutes.

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James Stacey scored 14 points during Oxford Harlequins's victory over Salisbury Picture: Ric Mellis

Joe Nalewabau dived over to extend Quins’s lead to 10-0, Stacey converting.

Salisbury’s Dan Luedicke replied with a penalty, but the visitors made it 17-3 at the break when Stacey converted his own try.

Josh Green drove over for the hosts on 50 minutes, but Quins crossed twice more to seal victory.

Nalewabau scored his second try, with Fotu Latu also dotting down, Stacey converting the first.