A HAT-TRICK of tries from Swindon's powerful inside centre Paul Wakefield set up a deserved victory against Buckingham.

The game started at a frantic pace which suited Buckingham's style of play as they used their quick wings and full back to good effect.

Swindon broke out of defence at one point with fly half Cock combining with second row Prowse and prop McGregor, who fed winger Hutchinson. He was bundled into touch a couple of metres short of scoring from a move that went fully 70 metres.

Buckingham finally broke the deadlock with two scores in rapid succession. Swindon rallied, using their big forwards to make holes in the defence. The pressure eventually paid off as Nathan Waite converted a penalty to reduce the deficit to 10-3.

Scrum half Jimmer Courtney was sin-binned for stamping in a ruck. This seemed to spur Swindon into action and began a change in fortunes for the home side.

Good play from the forwards set up a ruck 20 metres out from the visitors' try line. Stand-in scrum half Cock fired a pass out to stand-in fly half Waite. He fed a short pass to Wakefield, who crashed through the defense to score under the posts. Waite added the conversion to level the scores.

The second half started with Swindon in control of the game and the home forwards piling pressure on.

The pressure eventually told. From a line-out deep in the visitors' teritory the ball was spun out into the backs. Outside centre Turney fed Barnes, who broke two tackles and fed Wakefield. Wakefield charged through to score under the posts. Waite added the conversion.

Swindon prop Brooks powered over the line after solid rucking from rest of the forwards, but the ball was knocked from his hands as he tried to ground it.

The next score was almost identical to the first, Wakfield was fed a short pass and he smashed throught the visitors defence to score under the posts.

The conversion was charged down to give Swindon a 22-10 advantage. With time running out Buckingham doubled their efforts and hit back with a try, conversion and a penalty to bring them to 22-20. But Swindon hung on.