RUGBY UNION: Witney relegation fears intensified (From Witney Gazette)

RUGBY UNION: Witney relegation fears intensified

6:35pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in Sport

Witney slipped closer to the South West 1 East relegation zone with a 28-19 defeat at Newbury, who boosted their own hopes of staying up.

Saturday’s result means Witney have now lost their last three games and have not recorded a victory since January 12 when they beat Marlow at Hailey Road.

The visitors were left cursing mishandling, miskicking, missed tackles and a rising penalty count as they trailed 13-0 at the break.

Fly half Henry Lamb was off-target with two penalty attempts for a sluggish Witney side.

Wing Lewis Collins grabbed the first of a try double after half-time, but Newbury were able to reply with tries of their own each time.

Lamb converted Collins’s second try to bring the score back to 18-12, but a yellow card for prop Jamie Burke did not help Witney’s cause.

Trailing 25-12 with the clock ticking down, Witney managed a penalty try, converted by Lamb, but a late Newbury penalty denied them a losing bonus point.

Wing Josh Bartlett (2), full back Tom Martin and No 8 Louis Kinsey scored New-bury’s tries, with fly half Jack Muggridge converting one and slotting two penalties.

Chipping Norton crashed to a 47-3 defeat at Swindon College Old Boys in BB&O Premier Division.