CJ BIRTLES hit a hat-trick as Bicester kept their South League Middlesex, Berks, Bucks & Oxon promotion hopes alive with a superb 7-2 win at Oxford 3rd on Saturday.

The result moves them up to third and still in with a chance of going up.

Dave Sutcliffe, Leo Graves and Luke Smith completed Bicester’s tally.

On Sunday, Birtles was on target again in a 1-1 draw at Ashford 2nd.

Despite going a goal down in the first half, Bicester grabbed a point when Birtles’s shot found the top corner following a penalty flick.

Bicester 2nd reignited their Division 5 promotion bid with a 4-0 home hammering of Wallingford 3rd.

With rivals Staines and Reading University Knights unexpectedly losing, Bicester will claim the runnersup spot and promotion if they win at champions Eastcote 4th.

Bicester started strongly, with striker Jimmy Howson firing in the opener with a super reverse-stick finish on 12 minutes.

But, with promotion at stake, the hosts let their nerves get the better of them as they picked up a flurry of cards culminating in the sin-binning of Martyn Southam five minutes before half-time.

Wallingford piled on the pressure after the break, but Bicester doubled the lead through Howson’s cool finish.

It was 3-0 on 60 minutes when Pete Oram put away Jon Sullivan’s pass.

Five minutes from time, Ben Kirk wrapped up the rout with a simple tap-in after good work from Howson.

Bicester 3rd sealed a third successive promotion despite losing 2-1 at Wallingford in Division 7.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, Bicester rallied in the second half.

Bicester had Steve Birtles sinbinned, but it made little difference as they pulled a goal back when Paul Brees lifted a flick over the keeper.

But they couldn’t find an equaliser.

Bicester Ladies 3rd slipped to a 4-1 home defeat against Oxford Hawks 6th in Trysports Three Counties League Division 6.

Oxford took a 2-0 lead, before Julie Giles responded for Bicester after the break from Paige Jorda’s cross.

Charlotte Chesworth-Wing thought she had levelled, only for it to be disallowed as the whistle had gone for a Bicester free-kick.

Two late goals sealed it for Hawks.

Bicester 4th beat Sonning 5th 4-0 at home in Division 6, with doubles from Lilly Hamp and Hattie Webb.