SWANS 39 CHELTENHAM 19

HOT Swanage and Wareham hooker Robert Elford was another forward who helped himself to a handsome haul of tries.

He got four against Cheltenham as the Purbeckers' ran in six touchdowns to three to crush Cheltenham 39-19 at home in South West Division Two East.

Elford got his first try from a catch-drive move to cut into Cheltenham's early 7-0 lead after Sven Jupp had scored a touchdown.

Swans repeated the move soon after as Elford pounced for his second try, converted by Phil Graves, as they took a 12-7 advantage.

Cheltenham hit back to level at 12-12 following a try from Alan Bryan, but Graves edged Swans in front again at 15-12 with a penalty.

Five minutes before half time, Swans were awarded a penalty try that Graves converted to give them a 22-12 interval lead.

Both number sevens James Warren (Swans) and Eric Meadows (Cheltenham) were sin-binned for 10 minutes at the start of the second period for scrapping on the deck.

From the resultant scrum, Elford touched down to claim his hat-trick before he got his fourth try from another catch-drive move late on.

Despite the hooker's heroics, Swans number eight Courtney Suckling stole the limelight with a 40-metre run and solo try to cap the Purbeckers' brilliant display.

Graves converted to propel them 39-12 in front before Bryan bagged his second try for Cheltenham, which was converted, with the final move of the match.

Swanage and Wareham: J Marshall (Barton 65), Leak, P Graves, Grove, Gephaert, Harris, G Graves, Sheldrake, R Elford, Jones (Rance 48), Burgess (Hayman 56), Penney, M Elford, Warren, Suckling.

LINE-UP

Oakmeadians: Ball, Osborne (Hudson), Harman, R Stephenson, Tait (Notobartolo), Cook, Keir, Riley, Bongard, M Stephenson, Richards, Stradwick, Hennings, Ivory, Hokianga.