Click on Play to see Advertiser & Review photographer Steven Prouse's photo slideshow of the game.

It was as well that Brackley pulled out the stops when it mattered. None of the teams below them in the league lost on Saturday, so the battle to avoid relegation could have been a tight run thing.
However, Brackley's tally of three tries, three conversions, a drop goal and a penalty goal against one try in reply was sufficient to put them clear of the melee at the bottom of the table.

Signalling their intent from the kick-off, Brackley's forwards ran the ball hard at the opposition. A powerful drive from Nick Tustain gave Mark Chase the field position for a well struck drop goal and minutes later Chase split the Men's Own defence wide open to allow Graeme Cartmell to cruise through for a try under the posts. When Chase added the conversion, Brackley had a ten-point lead after just ten minutes' play.

The purple patch continued as Chase landed a penalty goal and flanker Mark Herlihy made a thunderous charge into the Men's Own 22. Lock Jason Sadler was on hand to take the off load and cross the line for a try, Chase's conversion extending the score to 20-0.

After that initial flurry, it was if Brackley felt they had done enough for the day. As the venom went out of their attack, Men's Own hit back with a catch and drive from a line out for unconverted try wide out on the left. That briefly revived Brackley's attacking instincts and when Men's Own knocked on at the re-start, Brackley won the ensuing scrum and span the ball smartly along the three-quarters for a second try from Graeme Cartmell. A successful conversion by Chase made the half time score 27-5.

Afterwards the intensity of the match gradually petered out and there was to be no further scoring in a second half that contained little excitement for the spectators. Matters weren't helped when a sleet-laden squall swept across the ground and there was a measure of relief all round when the referee's whistle brought the match and the season, to a close.

For more sports news and results, see this week's Advertiser & Review