Maidenhead Colts go into the Christmas break with a 13-point lead at the top of the BBO League, with only four league fixtures remaining as the top five teams break off into the Superleague phase alongside Grove, Chinnor, Oxford and either Aylesbury or Chiltern.

Head coach Gordon MacDonald is delighted. "We have managed to win all our games in a very tough environment and also, we have kept a very big squad together playing rugby, which shows that the lads are willing to work hard for the club even if they are not getting a lot of game time."

Maids finished their pre-Christmas programme with a 48-15 victory over Witney at Witney. Witney deserve credit for their stern resistance and they duly become the only team in the League this season to score more than one try against Maids and no-one could deny their courage and application. Maids were without seven first-line players and made a further seven changes at half-time to involve as many of the squad as possible.

Simon Standfast played superbly to hold a new-look back division together and Adam Dean and Ryan Christian were always dangerous. Up front, Tom Plumer led the pack with tremendous power and played Kaz Jasnikowski, the powerful new prop, made a strong impression on arriving after half time, as did wing Will Grant, returning after injury. Hookers Tom Morgan and Grant Shearer alternated in the positiom amd both showed well.

Chris Adam was probably the outstanding Maids player on the day, whipping away a strong service and mixing up the play well. Adam linked well with No 8 James Emanuel for the first of his two tries and Adam scored a second with a devastating burst from a line-out, past six defenders. Maids try scorers were Adam (2), Karl Kempton, Adam Dean, Simon Standfast, Matt Wardle, Alex Cannon and Will Grant. In the absence of top line kicker David "Grannygate" Hodgson, Wardell kicked three conversions and Cannon one.