Under 20s storm into last eight

From the archive, first published Wednesday 19th Mar 2003.

Oxfordshire reached the quarter-finals of the Tetley Bitter National Under 20 Championship for the second successive year with a commanding 29-3 win over Berkshire at the Shire Hall Ground, Sonning on Sunday.

Berkshire started strongly in ideal conditions for fast, open rugby, and took the lead with a penalty goal.

In response, Oxfordshire opened up the game and Chinnor's Leon Westerman broke through to send Carl Daniels over for a try wide out on the left to give the visitors a 5-3 interval lead.

In the second half, Oxfordshire stepped up the pressure in the rucks and mauls.

Good interpassing resulted in Stephen Button supporting Sean Bannister's charge and scoring in the corner.

After more pressure, centre Matt Goode broke through to score under the posts and convert.

Slick handling by Witney's Lamb brothers resulted in James Lamb getting a try as Oxon produced some champagne rugby.

Henry Lamb was not to miss out and, taking hisbrother's pass, scored in the corner. Goode succeeded with the difficult conversion.

Their quarter-final will be played on April 12, with venue and opponents yet to be decided. They will be hoping to go at least one better than last year, when they were knocked out at this stage.

Oxon under 20 squad: H Lamb (Witney), C Daniels (Banbury), L Westerman (Chinnor), M Goode (Banbury), J Lamb (Witney), R Thorne (Oxford Brookes), S Button (Banbury), R Dore (Witney), B Hackshaw (Chinnor), R Smith (Banbury), A Avery (Worcester), J Martin (Oxford Brookes), M Driver (Oxford Brookes), T Iles (Hartpury Coll), S Bannister (Banbury), A Gilbert (Banbury), D Goddard (Chinnor), J Rowles (Witney), C Wyatt (Banbury), AJ Khan (Oxford Brookes), B Millard (Banbury), T Lewis (Abingdon), S Lavery (Chipping Norton), L Bennett (Hartpury College).

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