Swindon 21, Bicester 18: Swindon were made to work hard for a victory that extended their unbeaten league run to 23 games.

The win kept Andy Morley's team in second place in the Southern Counties (North) table, behind Beaconsfield.

Swindon went ahead after 10 minutes with a penalty from Adam Westall. Bicester's reply was fairly swift, another penalty levelling the scores.

The next score was something unusual for Swindon as they went behind to an unconverted try.

Swindon then woke up. A sustained period of pressure and one missed scoring attempt provided them with a penalty in front of the posts.

The option for a scrummage was taken and produced one of the tries of the game. An excellent break from the back of the scrum saw scrum half Jim Courtney draw the defence and pass the ball for winger Nathan Waite to speed through a gap and score.

Swindon went ahead with a try from opposite winger Matt Seyneave. But the lead was short lived when Bicester replied near the end of the half again to level the scores.

The stalemate continued through third quarter, and just as Swindon were getting the better of their opponents, Adam Westall was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.

It wasn't long before Bicester were able to use their extra man to break the deadlock with an unconverted try. With 15 minutes still to play, and the Bicester backs offside yet again in front of their own posts, Morley took the option for the penalty kick. Westall's boot reduced the gap to two points.

With ten minutes left, a superb individual try by Waite, who side-stepped his way past five players, and ran half the length of the field to score, sealed Swindon's victory.

n IN the third round of the Intermediate Cup Swindon will be at home on November 4 against Cinderford. The Forest of Dean side are also unbeaten and currently top the table in the South West 1 league, two leagues above Swindon's.

It will be Swindon's hardest cup match since they played against Blackheath in the second round of the Pilkington Cup in 1988. Swindon's captain Andy Morley and coach Ian Binfield both played in that game.

Swindon, at the peak of their form at the time, narrowly lost by 13 - 3 to a National League side, which was an excellent result.