ALAN Low described his Royal Wootton Bassett’s team performance as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ following their 32-17 defeat at Witney.

After making a fine start in Oxfordshire, Low saw his side crumble in the second period.

A Gavin Ougan try gave Bassett the lead in this South West One East clash, following an inception deep in their 22.

Witney were reduced to 14 men after having a player sent off for a head butt.

The visitors then stretched their lead with a second unconverted try, as winger Oliver Smith raced home close to the corner.

The hosts then regrouped and tied the scores before the break with a converted try and a penalty.

“The first half we played very well and we could have been further ahead as we had a try not given,” Low said. “It was one of those where, the player said that he had grounded the ball and the referee couldn’t see it.

“Sometimes you get them given and sometimes you don’t, but that happened midway through the first half and that doesn’t really affect the outcome of the game.”

After the break, Witney raced into a 24-10 lead, with two converted scores, before prop Mahue Dewes barrelled over for Bassett’s third of the day, which skipper Dave Hogg added the extras to.

However, the hosts ensured that there would be no way back for Bassett, with a penalty and a fourth try of the afternoon.

“I think the easiest way to describe our performance was Jekyll and Hyde,” Low said.

“I thought, in the first half, we were very good. But the second half was poor and that is something that we really have to look at.

“The sending off really galvanised them. It was silly from their player. The referee had blown the whistle, he has got up and made contact in a forward motion with his head. It wasn’t a full blown head butt, but it was a red card.

“We gave up a lot of possession in the second half, which is another thing we have to look at.

“In the first half, playing against the wind and a slight slope, we played the conditions really well.”

Despite the defeat, Low was pleased to see Tim Gallimore last the entirety of the game in his return from injury.

“He was exceptional,” the Bassett chief said. “That was his first full 80 minutes in 10 weeks. It is not just the work he does which you can see, it is the stuff he does which you can’t that is impressive.”