ELLINGHAM & Ringwood clawed back a 17-0 deficit to run out 29-27 victors over Hampshire One neighbours Fordingbridge.

The hosts scored three tries, with one converted, inside the opening 20 minutes as the Es paid for a poor start.

Fly-half Josh Butcher reduced the arrears when he kicked a penalty but missed a further two before number eight Stuart Pearce went over in the corner to make it 17-8 at the break.

A half-time talk from coach Alan Steel and a change of tactics paid dividends as Ellingham fought back in the second half.

Lock forward Ben Traynor scored a well-worked try, which Butcher converted, as they made further inroads.

Ellingham piled on the pressure and prop forward Jonny Dossitt went over against his former club with Butcher finding his range and slotting over three penalties as they opened a 29-17 lead.

Discipline began to deteriorate, with Ellingham full-back Chris Frost sent to the sin bin before being followed by an opponent. Ellingham’s prop forward Luke Reynolds was also banished.

With time running out, Fordingbridge fought back with two late tries. The first conversion from under the post was charged down by Frost and the second was narrowly missed.

  • New Milton were powerless to stop Trojans inflicting their first defeat of the season in London Three South West.

Milton had to dig deep against a strong, well-drilled Trojans outfit to prevent being beaten by a greater margin.

Trailing 24-0 at the interval, the hosts eventually suffered a 29-5 reverse at Normans Way.

Trojans were quickly out of the blocks having touched down in the first minute.

And they went on to show the Milton tackling was not effective enough, as the visitors scored a further two tries within the first quarter of the game.

The onslaught was repelled by the hosts briefly until a period when they were reduced to 14 men for a sin-bin offence.

Their inspirational captain Sam Bew was also forced to leave the field with a head injury as Trojans scored another try before half-time.

Following the break, Milton were quickly into the Trojans’ 22 and put pressure on, but the visitors’ line defence was up to the task.

And with Milton suffering with another man in the sin-bin, Trojans took full advantage to touch down once more.

The hosts kept battling however and they got their reward with a consolation effort.

The pressure was showing on Trojans with their discipline being affected – at one stage they were down to 12 men.

Trojans’ defence held until Ben Russell broke through to touch down and get the hosts on the board.

Milton worked hard to gain another score, again creating another couple of chances, but were unable to break through once more.

New Milton: Hynd, Booker, McQueen, Bew, Gould, Duckworth, Russell, Treacey, Lavis, Conacher, Oliver, Smith, Morrell, O'Regan, Smith, Smith, George, Corbett.

  • Swanage & Wareham suffered a second successive defeat after going down 21-8 against Southern Counties South rivals Swindon College Old Boys.

Fielding several youngsters who were making their debuts, Swans opened the scoring when Stephen Woolley slotted over a penalty after just three minutes.

However, having gone 21-3 behind, Kirk Jones was credited with a try in the closing stages as Swans completed the scoring.