ELLINGHAM & Ringwood pulled away from the Hampshire One danger zone thanks to a 42-12 bonus-point win over Isle of Wight.

In an evenly-contested first half, centre Josh Butcher kicked an early penalty to give the hosts the lead.

Charlie Cockram then scored a fine individual try which Butcher converted, before kicking a further penalty goal.

Isle of Wight hit back with a try of their own to reduce to 13-5 the advantage.

After the break, Ellingham played some of their best rugby of the season and pulled well away from their opponents.

Cockram grabbed his second try before wing three-quarter Chris Frost added another two, while Matt Raybould and Dean Young scored a try apiece.

Butcher kicked two further conversions and Isle of Wight’s late converted try proved little consolation.

Meanwhile, Ellingham & Ringwood women extended their lead at the top of National Challenge South West One with a 55-3 thrashing of Devizes.

The Wiltshire side took the lead with a penalty but from then on it was all about the visitors.

Youngster Maggie Hishon scored a hat-trick on her debut and inside-centre Kiera Paul-Jones twice crossed the whitewash.

The other try scorers were Francesca McAlinney, Emma Lipsett, Chantelle McClure and Nina Hoadley. Full-back Chloe Barrett kicked five conversions.

Elsewhere, Wimborne suffered a fifth straight defeat in South West One East as they were thumped 63-22 at Salisbury.

Two converted tries gave the hosts a 14-0 lead with little more than a quarter of an hour played.

Wimborne wing Lewis Mitchell was twice bundled into touch just short of the line before a further score for the home side.

Tyler Adams drove over from close in to get the Minstermen off and running but Salisbury extended to 28-5 their advantage with a superb try.

The home side grabbed a fifth try after the restart and they added a further four before the final whistle.

Wimborne still managed to snatch a bonus point thanks to scores from Jack Mason, debutant Jack Cook and Steve King. Ryan Maidment added a conversion.

Minstermen: Roberts, Young, Hamer, Mason, Mitchell, Maidment, Donnell, King, Warren, Carter, Foley, Hay, Adams, R Brokenshire, Murphy. Replacements: Pride, Atkins, Cook.

New Milton staged a valiant second-half fightback but had to be content with a bonus point following their 40-27 defeat at Weybridge Vandals.

Milton took an early lead in the London Three South West clash when Ciaran Johnston gained possession in his own 22, ran through two tackles and kicked ahead.

After a second swipe at the ball he won the foot race and touched down for a superb solo try.

The Weybridge response was swift and effective, the hosts scoring three tries in five minutes, two of which were converted.
Another converted try gave the hosts a 21-point lead at the interval.

The pattern continued following the restart, Weybridge adding two converted tries to their total to lead 40-5.

However, Milton showed their resilience as they battled back for a bonus point.

First, Ben Russell drove through to score and then debutant George Hughes powered across the whitewash.

Following a penalty award and a five-metre line-out, Russell got his second try.

Johnston converted before grabbing Milton’s fifth try when weaved through tackle attempts to go over.

Milton squad: D Smith, George, Wright, Wood, Hughes, Treacey, Russell, Bew, Johnston, Lavis, Oliver, N Smith, Conacher, Machin, J O’Regan, Booker.