A BRAVE comeback proved in vain for Swanage & Wareham as they suffered their seventh defeat in South West One East.

Swans were 20-0 down to visitors Windsor after the opening quarter following two penalties from full-back Chris Laidler and two converted tries.

The Bestwall side got off the mark thanks to a Phil Graves penalty and on the stroke of half-time, home skipper John Sheldrake touched down following a catch and drive.

Swans’ rally continued after the restart and from a high kick, wing Alex Parry caught the ball and landed over the try line, with Graves’s conversion reducing to 20-15 the Windsor advantage.

Despite their efforts, Swans could not close the gap further and with 10 minutes to go, a Laidler penalty wrapped up a 23-15 win for the visitors.

Swans II lost 57-7 at Sherborne, Swans III were edged out 5-3 at Lytchett Minster II and Swans IV lost 17-0 to Weymouth & Portland.

Swans I: Young, Parry, Spencer, Strange, Barton, Graves, Tomes, Sheldrake, Elford, Audley (Wyburgh, 44), Pilkington, Corsie (Scott, 54), Ford (Ayres, 66), Dennett, Jones.

  • Ellingham & Ringwood had to be content with a losing bonus point following a dramatic finale at Sandown & Shanklin.

A youthful Es outfit led by a point with 10 minutes left but a successful penalty handed the home side a 13-11 victory in Hampshire One.

In wet and windy conditions, Sandown & Shanklin scored two tries in the first 20 minutes to take a 10-0 lead against the league’s basement side.

However, a spell of sustained Es pressure was rewarded when number eight Jack White crossed over following a line-out to reduce to five points the deficit.

With the wind behind them after the break, Es found their flow and two penalties from fly-half Will Gough gave the visitors the lead for the first time.

But when Es were penalised at a scrum, the penalty was successfully slotted and that proved enough for victory for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Ellingham & Ringwood’s second string edged a 31-29 thriller against Poole in Dorset & Wilts Two South.

The Es try-scorers were Brad Evans (2), Mark Goodwin, Alex McGuire and Jonny Owen, who also kicked three conversions.

  • Oakmeadians were defeated 32-6 by Lytchett Minster in Dorset & Wilts One South and East Dorset lost 22-11 to Blandford.

James Norris scored a hat-trick of tries, Kris Heeps two and Jeff Buchannon one in Oaks II’s 45-10 victory at Dorchester III.

Oakmeadians ladies emerged 15-5 victors over league leaders Ellingham & Ringwood & Totton in NC South West One.