With just three points separating the top four, National Two South is very finely poised heading into the first weekend break of the season.
We do have new leaders for the first time this campaign as Cambridge’s bonus point win took them to the summit, but Taunton, Old Albanian and Clifton are really keeping the pressure on.
Elsewhere, the Old Elthamians and Barnes continued their recent impressive forms while there was a first victory of the season for Chinnor and a first away win for Dorking.
Worthing Raiders 17-29 Cambridge
Cambridge went top of National Two South with a bonus point win over Worthing Raiders – which is now their sixth straight victory.
Cambridge secured their four-try bonus point inside 35 minutes as a Penalty Try and scores from Michael Ayrton, Albert Portsmouth and Corey Hircock gave the hosts a 0-24 lead before the break.
Portsmouth scored his second try before Liam Perkins was sin-binned for a Worthing side that were having a torrid afternoon.
But, Worthing responded well to going down to 14 men as Sean O’Hagan and Samuel Hewick scored tries in the space of five minutes before Daniel Sargent dotted down three minutes from time for the hosts who were much improved in the second 40.
Taunton 20-15 Bishops Stortford
Taunton responded from their defeat against Cambridge with a battling home win over Bishops Stortford.
Gary Kingdom’s penalty gave Taunton a good start, but Stortford replied with tries from Samuel Winter and Dominic Morris to lead 3-12.
But it was the home side that were ahead at half-time as a score from the in-form Jack Claydon and another penalty from Kingdom edged them 13-12 in front.
Pierfrancesco Dotta made it 13-15 to the visitors straight after the break, but they were left rueing missed chances when Charles Walker-Blair and Claydon were both sin-binned before the hour mark for Taunton.
And it was Claydon who scored the decisive try one minute after returning from his yellow card as he darted over to seal victory 11 minutes from time.
Taunton slipped to second in the table as they failed to secure a bonus point for the first time this season, but sit just a point behind Cambridge
Old Albanian 34-15 Redruth
Hot on the heels of the top two are the Old Albanian who made it four straight home wins with this victory over Redruth.
Michael Allan went over for the hosts early on before Max Malins crashed over only after Nielson Webber and dotted down for Redruth.
The OA’s led 12-5 at half-time, but their lead was reduced to two points when Daniel Rutter crossed for Redruth.
A Malins penalty and a try from Nicholas Foster extended the home sides lead to 22-10, but Redruth just wouldn’t give up the chase as Bradley James made it 22-15 on 54 minutes.
Harry Bate then scored a minute later for the OA’s and that seemed to take the wind out of the Redruth sails as they couldn’t respond before Allan touched down for his second try of the afternoon to round off the match.
Clifton 30-8 Bury St Edmunds
Clifton are now unbeaten in their last five as they secured their fifth straight home win against Bury St Edmunds.
Their impressive start to the season continued as they led 17-3 at half-time thanks to seven points from the boot of Bradley Barnes and tries from Charles Bullimore and William Pomphrey.
Barnes was sin-binned just before half-time which meant Daniel Wells took over kicking duties for Clifton to extend their lead to 20-3, before Pomphrey was shown a yellow card on 55 minutes.
But Bury, whose only points had come from fly-half David Graham, couldn’t take advantage as Barnes took his tally to 10 points with anther penalty just before the hour.
Shaquille Meyers smashed his way over for Bury on 73 minutes, but Andrew Uren rounded off proceedings for Clifton who are now just three points behind Cambridge.
Old Elthamians 38-29 Southend Saxons
The Old Elthamians’ good form has seen them move into the top six heading into the first break of the season thanks victory over Southend which saw five yellow cards produced.
The OE’s fourth win in five matches was one of ill-discipline early on as forwards James Cullen and Aaron Liffchak were yellow carded just 60 seconds apart after Chris Vaughan had opened the scoring for Southend.
The visitors doubled their advantage while the OE’s were down to13 men as Mark Billings made it 0-10 on 18 minutes, but a try from Lee Nelmes showed great character from the OE’s to not let the game slip further away from them.
Samuel Fombo was the first player in the bin for Southend on 27 minutes and with the OE’s back to 14 men, they took the lead when Thomas Brown crossed the whitewash.
Moments later, it was Southend’s turn to be reduced to 13 men when Kristian Chesney was shown a yellow card and once again the OE’s capitalised as Gavin O’Meara made it 21-10.
It wasn’t long before the fifth yellow card of the day was produced as OE’s winger Fionn McLaughlin was the next man to be sent his marching order, but O’Meara crossed for his second just before half-time.
After a stop-start first half, the second half exploded into life as Krijin Twigt made the score 26-15 with Southend’s third try of the afternoon, but scores from McLaughlin and Thomas White gave the hosts a 21 point lead with 14 minutes remaining.
But the scoring hadn’t finished yet. Iain Meads and a Penalty Try decreased the OE’s advantage to just nine points, but it was too little too late for Southend.
Barnes 19-13 Redingsensians
I don’t think Barnes would have wanted this weekend break as they picked up their fourth straight win of the season with victory over the Redingsensians.
This was a clash between two newly promoted sides and its Barnes who have really performed well in recent weeks.
Flanker Ciaran Smith scored the only try of the half as Barnes went in 5-0 up at half-time before eight points from the boot of James Brooks and a Penalty Try gave the visitors a 5-13 lead on 61 minutes.
However, two tries in ten minutes from replacements Jack Franklin and Christopher Lewis turned the game around for Barnes who are now eighth in table after this victory.
Launceston 16-20 Dorking
Dorking picked up their first away win of the season with victory over bottom side Launceston who are still without a win this campaign despite an improved performance.
A try from Harry Elbrow and a penalty from Luke White cancelled out two early penalties from Chris Swash who had given the Launceston a 6-0 lead.
Benjamin Marfo made it 6-17 with his score on 48 minutes, but the home side hit back 17 minutes later as Issac Hydleman crossed.
White nudged over a penalty on 72 minutes for Dorking and three minutes from time Rory Eaton-Belton was yellow carded for the away side giving Launceston a glimmer of hope they could snatch this encounter.
That glimmer turned into real promise when Hydleman got his second moments later, but even when Olywaseun Olayanju joined Eaton-Belton in the bin for Dorking after Hyldeman’s try, the home side just couldn’t find that final cutting edge.
Canterbury 11-15 Chinnor
Chinnor secured their first win of the season after seven straight losses with this victory against a Canterbury side who have now lost their last five.
The away side led 3-10 at the break thanks to a try from Darren Oliver and five points from the boot of William Millet with Charles Kingsman slotting over a penalty for Canterbury.
Kingsman reduced the score to 6-10 four minutes after the restart, but a yellow card to lock Royce Cadman halted their momentum slightly.
Alaifatu Faitalofa crossed for Chinnor three minutes after Cadman was sent to the sin bin and when full back Martyn Beaumont joined Cadman, it was going to be a struggle for the City Men to get back into the contest.
Replacement James Green did touch down though for Canterbury nine minutes from time, but Chinnor held on for a much needed maiden victory of the campaign.