12:20pm Thursday 9th July 2009
Swindon St George confirmed their place in the Rugby League Conference end-of-season play-offs with a 48-20 success at Oxford Cavaliers.
Needing a win to clinch the play-off spot, Swindon showed their intentions straight from kick-off with a big hit in the first tackle of the game.
After drawing in the Oxford defence with their first four tackles, the ball went out wide to winger Jake Wojtowicz, who cut inside before passing to Rychnix McKenzie for an unconverted try.
Oxford responded with a try of their own, but St George then dominated the remainder of the half.
Greg O’Brien scored on Swindon’s next attack, handing off his opposite centre, before grounding the ball before Mike Thompson’s strong running from scrum-half Milo Hartley’s inside pass took him over, Josh Haynes kicking the conversion.
Hartley himself scored when the defence bought a dummy to Terry Martin before O’Brien scored a carbon copy of his first try.
Loose forward Danny Morgan’s 50-metre break, then allowed Jim Roden to score to make it 26-4 at half time.
Hooker Gareth Davis crossed five minutes into the second half, Graeme Ardley kicking the conversion before scoring the next himself.
And O’Brien completed his hat-trick following another strong run out wide.
Two minutes later he scored his four of the game - and ninth against Oxford this season.
But the final try was the best, Thompson fielding a high kick before sprinting 80 metres to score.
Leading 48-4 Swindon eased off and Oxford scored three late tries.
Swindon host top-of-the-table Greenwich at Croft Sports Centre on Saturday (2.30pm), needing a win to make sure of home advantage in the play-offs.
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