Both sides were unbeaten going into the clash but, although the visitors defended stoutly and prevented Abbey from scoring after the break, they had no answer to the home side’s thrilling brand of 15-man rugby before the interval.

Abbey spent almost the entire first half in College territory and never looked in danger of losing the game.

The hosts made the worst possible start, dropping the kick-off and conceding a penalty which College winger Charlie Grabe dinked over.

But Abbey quickly recovered as prop Paul Emery and flanker Joe Hallett began punching holes in the visitors’ defence, while centre Tom Burns, making a welcome return after a long absence, ran and passed intelligently.

Full back Tom Waterhouse and winger Dylan Baptista threatened the Swindon line without crossing then Abbey lost hooker Martin Collier to the sinbin.

But despite their numerical disadvantage, Waterhouse landed two penalties to nudge Abbey in front.

Constant defending was taking its toll on Swindon who lost full back, Stuart Knight, and then his replacement, Ross Saville, to injury then saw second-row, Damon Murphy, yellow carded by referee Kalvin Withers for persistent offending.

Abbey were not without further disruptions either after Burns limped off with an injury, forcing Baptista to move to centre.

However, with Collier back on the field, they used the extra man to full effect when Hallett brothers Sam and Joe were driven over the line, Sam gaining the touchdown. Waterhouse failed to convert from out wide.

Then with, half-time approaching, Abbey hit top gear and put on a superb display of rugby in which backs and forwards combined brilliantly.

Two tries came in quick succession, the first from centre Arron Ross after good work from outside-half Jim Dye and Waterhouse, who added the conversion.

Then immediately from the restart Abbey scored again without an opposition player touching the ball.

Emery made 30 metres from his own twenty-two, Collier carried it on the move and then Ollie Charlton, who had just replaced Matt Gingell in the home pack, sent out a pass to Waterhouse.

The full back dummied to pass to Warwick and ran along the right touchline, chipped ahead and won the race to the line for a magnificent try.

Fittingly, Waterhouse followed it up with a mighty touchline conversion to put Abbey 25-3 up at the interval.

The whistle could not have come at a worse time for Abbey who were in full flow and looked certain to secure a fourth bonus-point try for the seventh straight game.

Sadly, they never recaptured their rhythm in the second half against a much-improved Swindon, who battled for every ball.

The visitors also saw Liam Spillane cross the whitewash while Abbey’s Joe Hallett was in the sinbin following a scuffle.

To sum up Swindon’s day, the conversion attempt from bang in front of the posts drifted wide.

Abbey, with Hallett back on the field, pushed for a bonus point in the closing stages and saw scrum-half Will Bevan stopped just short of the line.

But it was not to be, though Abbey were more than content with a convincing victory against their chief promotion rivals.

Abbey: T Waterhouse, S Warwick, A Ross, T Burns (W Hanley 25), D Baptista, J Dye, W Bevan, P Emery, M Collier (F Mutepfa 56), L Daniels, C Shaw (M Gingell 57), S Hallett (capt), J Hallett, M Gingell (F Mutepfa 14 – 24), O Charlton 38), D Pawlett. Yellow cards: Collier, J.Hallett, Pawlett.

Swindon College Old Boys: S Knight (R Saville 6 – 20, T Haynes 21) , C Grabe, M Allen, J Haynes, D Cooper, L Spillane, M Calvert, L Davis, G Davis (capt), T Farr (L Farbrace 79), A Reeves, D Murphy, A Davies, J Murray, R Smith. Yellow card: Murphy.

Referee: K.Withers (Berks).

l READING Abbey will be forced to make changes in their back line when they travel to third-placed Abingdon to defend their unbeaten league run.

Work commitments deprive Abbey of three regulars for the trip, though head coach Russell Bolton remains confident of getting a result.

“This year we have strength in depth and I know the players will step up and give their best,” he declared.

Abingdon have lost once in the league, a surprise 28-11 home defeat by Gosford All Blacks.