Crows again made a lightning start and scored straight from the kick off.

After receiving the ball, the visitors moved it wide to the left to make good ground although the Harwell defence was able to halt the early assault just short of their own 22. However the quick ball at the ruck was passed through the hands and two further rucks completely sucked the Harwell players in, allowing Crowthorne’s Fijian Royal Marine Semi Tabanivesi to cross for one of the full back’s easiest tries for the club. Mike Stepney slotted the conversion to give the Crows a 7-0 lead.

A penalty from Harwell three minutes later came after the hosts produced some clinical forward play.

The Oxfordshire side drove accurately upfield with a series of rucks and mauls which the Crows struggled to deal with, and referee Andy Roofe eventually adjudged the visitors had handled in the ruck.

However Harwell were then reduced to 14 men as they lost a forward to the sinbin for foul play, and Crows made their numerical advantage count in ruthless fashion.

They kicked the penalty deep into the hosts’ half, and from the resultant line-out, George Watson claimed the ball which was then worked into the hands of captain Sam Short, whose inside ball found wing Dan Stanton who ran a direct line to score under the posts.

Stepney added the extras to extend the lead to 14-3 inside the opening 10 minutes.

Harwell hit back with tries on 13 and 24 minutes but were not able to add the extras, leaving them a point behind Karl Roberts’ men.

But Crowthorne regained control and crossed the whitewash twice before the break through Short and Tabanivesi to lead 24-13, a scoreline which perhaps flattered the Crows.

However the visitors upped their performance in the second period and showed far greater game management, although they came under pressure at the start of the half.

Crows conceded a number of penalties but their defensive line proved strong, and the clinical quality of their attacking play became evident as the half wore on.

Strong running from James Bailey ensured he bagged two tries, while the superb Watson also put his name on the scoresheet.

And the final try for Crows came from scrum half Jay Gibson, who pounced on a badly controlled ball at the base of a Harwell defensive scrum five metres out, and after the ball popped straight out, he swooped on it and touched down.

All of Crowthorne’s second-half tries were converted, and although Harwell did earn themselves a bonus point after scoring twice more themselves, the Crows were delighted to secure a comfortable victory against their mid-table opponents.

The entire visitors squad entered strong performances, but wing Dan Stanton was particurlarly impressive and he was named as the back of the match.

The marauding Watson was also a pillar of an excellent effort from the pack and he was rewarded with the forward of the match award.

The result leaves Crowthorne second in the table, but they have closed the gap on leaders Risborough to just two points following their shock defeat at home to Faringdon.

The table-toppers were stunned 26-24 by the bottom side who had previously lost all seven of their games, including a 36-23 reverse at Crowthorne last time out.

The Crows face a tricky encounter when they welcome third-placed Didcot to Cricket Field Grove on Saturday (1.30pm).