Powergen South-West Division Two East AMERSHAM & CHILTERN 3 SWANAGE & WAREHAM 22

ON A bitterly cold day, high up in the Chiltern Hills, Swanage & Wareham easily overcame bottom of the league side Amersham.

And their 22-3 victory means the Dorset

outfit go back to the top of the table on points difference over Oxford Harlequins, who lost their first game of the season away at Maidenhead.

Amersham lost their prop forward injured in the first minute, as Swans, playing against the easterly wind, attacked down the centre.

The visitors were penalised for crossing, and two kicks found Amersham close to their opponents' line.

Another penalty was awarded and home fly half John Cornish kicked his team into a 3-0 lead after nine minutes.

Swans continued to put pressure on Amersham's defence, but some excellent defending kept them at bay.

However on 18 minutes a well worked line-out ball saw Andy Walbrin go down the blind side to score a try in the corner.

Playing with the wind and slope in their favour after the break, Swanage continued to attack and they were awarded a penalty try following a collapsed scrum on the hour. Phil Graves converted to put the visitors 12-3 in front.

Amersham were guilty of not kicking the ball ten metres from the restart with Swans winning the scrum and it was Barry Walton who set off on a run down the left.

Only an infringement stopped him from scoring and it was left to Graves to put the ensuing penalty between the uprights.

Some clever kicks over the Amersham back line had the home side scrambling to retain possession, but from one of these punts, the Dorset side were awarded a scrum five metres out.

The ball was passed along the line to Graves who went in for a try after 74 minutes which he converted himself.

Swans: J Marshall, Gould, Dillon, Graves (capt), Walton, Woolley, Sammons, M Peters, Elford, C Peters, Snowden, Walbrin, Harwood, Warren (G Steeden 64mins), Robbins. Subs not used: Welsh, T Marshall.