TOM Clipsham scored two tries as Grove began their South West 1 East campaign with a commanding 39-12 bonus point victory over local rivals Oxford Harlequins at Cane Lane on Saturday.

Fly half Mike Martin also kicked 12 points on his debut as the south Oxfordshire side dominated the visitors.

Two Martin penalties gave Grove a 6-0 lead after 16 minutes, before the game became stop-start with infringements,

However, neither Martin or Quins fly half Huw Dimond were able to punish the opposition with the boot.

Quins prop Pete Boulton was sin-binned, but was unable to come back on after he suffered a nasty gash to his knee, which required 11 stitches.

And hooker Richard Battson rolled his ankle shortly after, leaving Quins with only two front row forwards in Kyle Sharpe and replacement Matt Edney.

The visitors finally got off the mark on 38 minutes, when Quins spread the ball out wide and full back Tom Tierney brilliantly ran in from his own 22-metre line.

However, Quins were unable to edge in front, as Dimond’s conversion attempt slipped wide of the posts.

It proved a crucial miss, as Martin slotted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give Grove a 9-5 lead.

After the break, there was only really one team in it as the hosts went onto score five tries.

However, Quins were not helped by the earlier injuries to Boulton and Battson, which led to uncontested scrums and the forfeiture of a player, leaving them with 14 men for the second half.

Martin was held up just short of the line, but Grove were quick to the breakdown and sprayed the ball out wide, where Clipsham dived over in the corner.

New Zealander Martin missed the conversion, but minutes later slotted a fourth penalty in front of the posts for 17-5.

Grove had the upper hand and debutant Graeme Crapper squeezed over in the corner for an unconverted try, before Cash Chilvers found a gap in the Quins defence to dive over, despite the best efforts of Alan Purchase.

The visitors reduced the deficit with nine minutes remaining, as winger Axel Poulet dotted down after profiting from a loose ball and Dimond added the extras.

However, Grove rubbed further salt in their wounds with two late tries.

Clipsham danced through the Quins defence and crossed for his second, which Nick Sevier converted, and Simon Cramp touched down on 80 minutes.

A 20-POINT deficit at half-time proved too big a gap to bridge as Witney went down 28-19 at Leighton Buzzard.

Geoff Branthwaite kicked the hosts into a 3-0 lead, before Ben Beaumont crossed twice.

Branthwaite converted the first as the home side made it 15-0.

The Buzzard full back further stretched their lead with a try of his own for 20-0 at half-time.

Witney were a different side after the break and flanker Tim Muller crossed for an unconverted try.

But Branthwaite continued his good form with the boot, slotting another penalty for 23-5.

The visitors continued to attack and David Hyde went over.

Henry Lamb added the extras.

However, on 68 minutes Witney’s fightback was dealt a blow, when Lee Walker dived over for an unconverted try for 28-12.

Tug Wilson’s side refused to give in, as James Monks crashed over in the last minute and Lamb made no mistake with the conversion.