Bicester 7, Stow-on-the-Wold 24.

STOW moved off the bottom of the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier Division table after a fine win at Bicester.

Despite their precarious position, Stow started the game as though they were at the top of the pile.

The visiting forwards quickly stamped their superiority on the Bicester pack dominating possession with phase after phase of dynamic driving play.

The scene was set when, after a charged-down Bicester kick, the ball fell into Matt Hicks’ hands.

He set off down the right wing but, as the defensive cover arrived, an ambitious cross-kick towards the posts was gathered easily by the home side.

Bicester were defending well when Stow moved the ball to their backs but the visitors’ possession was finally matched with territory and, after more driving play, prop Brittan-Jones crashed over the line in the left-hand corner. The conversion was missed.

Bicester got their hands on the ball after a downfield kick was knocked-on by Stow on their 22. Bicester went through a few phases, retaining the ball well and scoring though the centre. The kick was successful.

Stow were quickly back on the front foot and dominating possession. A good kick to touch gave Stow a five-metre line-out. A catch-and-drive ended with Hugo Griffiths scoring in the corner. The conversion was successful.

Stow continued to retain possession and recycled the ball well through the forwards.

Soon afterwards, the visitors won another line-out, some 15 metres from the Bicester line.

The Stow line-out was functioning well and another catch-and-drive went all the way to the line with Hicks scoring the try. Dan Adams made the kick to extend the Stow lead.

From a scrum on the half-way line, Stow won possession against the head and broke down the right flank with James Holmes cleverly off-loading to Richard Huggett, who scored easily. The conversion was missed.

It was a cagey, quiet start to the second period with Stow again taking control but with mistakes starting to creep in at crucial stages. Stow did, however, set up a maul at half-way and rolled at least 30 metres towards the Bicester line only to be stopped by illegal play.

At the resulting penalty scrum, possession was lost for Bicester to clear.

The hosts rallied and finished the match in determined mood, driving to the Stow line where they camped for a full five minutes. But Stow held out to finish with maxmium points.