Battle for survival intensifies in National Two South

In recent weeks, it really has all been about the title race,but despite Cambridge moving seven points clear at the top on Saturday, all the drama occured towards the wrong end of the table.

If the bottom half of the league was tight and tense before this weekend, it is even closer now as four teams in the relegation mix all picked up victories with two sides slipping further into the dogfight.

To put it into context, 10^th placed the Redingensians are only two points off 14^th placed Chinnor and seven off Southend Saxons who are a place below. This fight for survival really does look like it will go down to the wire.

Cambridge 28-22 Worthing Raiders

League leaders Cambridge were made to battle for their victory over Worthing Raiders as they moved seven points clear at the top of National Two South.

The home side had wrapped up the bonus point inside 13 minutes as Brett Daynes, Lawrence Hutchinson, James Stokes and Albert Portsmouth all crossed and it looked as though Cambridge were going to run riot at Volac Park.

However, a yellow card to Ean Griffiths allowed Worthing to get on the scoreboard before the break as Robert Smith touched down.

Joseph Watson-Brooks and Liam Perkins added tries as Worthing clawed themselves back into the contest in the second half which was aided by a yellow card shown to Cambridge forward Stephen Hipwell.

More ill-discipline followed for the hosts as Matthew Worrall-Clare and Jarrod Taylor were both sin-binned in the final stages of the game and Worthing were able to rescue two losing bonus points as Jordan Gibson crossed with the final play of the game.

Bishops Stortford 22-26 Taunton Titans

Taunton Titians kept their play-off hopes alive after they inflicted the first home defeat of the season on Bishops Stortford.

The hosts went into the game five points clear of Taunton in third place and with a 100 per cent record at Silver Leys this campaign.

And it was all going according to plan for Stortford, who before this had lost just one of their last 11 games, as tries by Nicholas Hankin and Matthew Tomlinson gave them a narrow 12-7 lead at the break with Freddie Fraser going over for Taunton.

However, the home side seemed to fall apart after the restart as Taunton scored two tries in three second half minutes through Daniel Lee and Alex O’Merea to give them a 12-19 advantage.

The hosts then kicked a penalty through George Cullen to decrease Taunton’s lead, but Alex Brown’s score on 71 minutes made it 15-26.

Stortford were then awarded a Penalty Try three minutes from the end, but they couldn’t fashion one more clinical chance as they fell to their first loss on home soil while Taunton were celebrating being back in the hunt for the play-off place.

Southend Saxons 9-14 Old Elthamians

A late Benjamin Hough try snatched victory for the Old Elthamians against relegation threatened Southend Saxons at Warners Bridge Park.

A first half penalty from Bradley Burr gave Southend the lead at half-time before Burr doubled his sides’ advantage on 53 minutes from the tee once again.

Oliver Vidgeon put the OE’s ahead with the first try of the game, but the hosts continued to look the better team and deservedly restored their lead through Burr again seven minutes from the end.

And in a game that lacked any real quality, up stepped Hough who produced a magical solo effort to win the match for the Old Elthamians as they remain sixth in the table after their sixth away triumph of the season.

As for Southend, they will feel bitterly disappointed to have lost this game and with their losing bonus point, it leaves the Saxons five points off safety with nine games remaining.

Redingensians 23-13 Barnes

The Redingensians made three wins on the bounce as they ended Barnes’ six game unbeaten run at Old Bath Road.

A penalty from Tom O’Toole and a converted try from Robert Malaney gave the visitors a two-point lead at the break with Michael Chandler slotting three points and James Gutteridge going over for the hosts.

The Redingensians applied second-half pressure and were rewarded with a Penalty Try to take the lead in this contest before another penalty from Chandler and a try from George Drury sealed the win for the home side.

The Redingensians are still two points clear of the drop after this win, but three vital victories in three games has certainly improved their chances of staying in National Two South. Barnes, who were on an unbeaten run of six matches, remain seventh.

Bury St Edmunds 32-20 Clifton

Bury St Edmunds survived a spell of nine minutes with just 12 men to secure their first win in six matches after they beat Clifton on Saturday.

Tries from Matthew Edison and Chris Lord, added to eight points from Scott Lyle, gave Bury a 20-10 lead at the break, with Fergus Manners and Bradley Barnes scoring the points for Clifton.

However, on the stroke of half-time, Bury’s Sean Stapleton, Josh Walker and try-scorer Edison were all yellow-carded giving Clifton a real chance to turn this game around after the break.

But the away side, who have won just one of their last 11 games, were unable to capitalise as Edison added to Bury’s lead after his 10 minute spell on the side-lines.

Clifton did fightback when Bury were back to their full complement though, as another try from Manners and another penalty from Barnes made the score 25-20 with 15 minutes to go.

But a late penalty try made sure of the crucial win for Bury who are now two points clear of the bottom three while Clifton’s desperate run of form continues.

Dorking 11-8 Launceston

A late Matthew Noble penalty broke Launceston’s hearts as Dorking clinched only their eighth win of the season to move a point clear of the relegation zone.

Launceston, who are winless this season and are rock bottom of National Two South, were behind 8-5 at the break as Noble slotted a penalty and dotted down a try with Levent Blunt scoring for the away side.

Launceston had lost 18 games heading into this encounter with Dorking, but they were really matching their hosts in the second period and levelled the score seven minutes from the end when Samuel Chapman slotted over a penalty.

A second draw of the season was in sight for Launceston, but Noble kept his cool from the tee on 78 minutes to snatch the win for Dorking leaving the visitors a mammoth 33 points from safety with 10 games to play.

Chinnor 39-26 Cantebury

Chinnor’s revival continued on the weekend as they made it three wins in their last four after beating Canterbury at home.

Chinnor were in complete control at the break as Henry Lamont, Oscar Heath and Alaifatu Fatialofa all crossed to help them into a 27-0 lead with Samuel Angell kicking 12 points.

It looked all done and dusted for the home side who had beaten title chasing the Old Albanian last week, but Canterbury began the second half in a completely different manner.

Courtney Horey and Oliver Best went over inside the first six minutes of second 40, but as soon as they were back in the contest, they were out of it again as Angell and Jack Adams made it 39-14 on 59 minutes.

Another burst of life was around the corner for Canterbury though as Thomas Best and Harry Sayers secured a four try bonus point for the City Men in the final quarter of the game, but it wasn’t enough to save them from falling to a third straight defeat.

This win for Chinnor leaves them in the final relegation place, but level on points with Canterbury who occupy the final place above the bottom three as this fantastic battle for survival rages on.

Redruth P-P Old Albanian

Redruth v Old Albanian was called off this weekend and the fixture has been rescheduled for March 12th.