BLUE Boar lifted the Oxfordshire County Shield after an entertaining 21-15 victory over Wheatley at Iffley Road.

Giles Blanchard scored 11 points, and Hamish Malone went over twice, as they won the shield for the third time.

Wheatley pushed Blue Boar all the way, forcing their opponents to defend on their own try line in the last ten minutes, but they were unable find an elusive score.

With six points separating the sides, Blanchard’s three conversions proved crucial as Wheatley matched them in tries, but not from the boot.

Blue Boar secretary Brian Kentish was pleased to see his side win the shield for the second time in three years, after their 2013 triumph over Chipping Norton.

“We’re delighted,” he said.

“We had to hang on a bit because for the last ten minutes they were pressing on our line.”

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Kentish added: “It was a nervy finish – we just escaped.”

Wheatley opened the scoring through Adam Muir, before Malone replied for Blue Boar. Blanchard converted to make it 7-5.

And Malone was on the scoreboard again, with the centre charging through under the posts. Blanchard added the extras.

Blue Boar took a 14-5 lead into the break, but it was Wheatley who recorded the first score of the second half.

Josh Hillsdon intercepted a pass to race over, but Duncan Dingle missed the conversion to leave them four points adrift.

Boar made it 21-10 with Blanchard going over and converting.

However, Wheatley refused to give in and, after spreading the ball out wide, Jack Smith dived over the line.

Dingle failed to convert, leaving Wheatley six points behind, and with ten minutes remaining they went in search of another try.

But Boar dealt with phase after phase to clinch the shield.