LEAGUE leaders Swanage & Wareham battled back to claim a crucial 30-21 win against Dorset Wilts One South title rivals Dorset Dockers.

Swans opened to five points their advantage at the top of the table with the victory in a testing encounter.

The Bestwall outfit made the perfect start through Ben Dennett's try inside three minutes.

Swans' lead was extended to 10 when Chris Tomes touched down a phase of play which started from a lineout on Dockers' five-metre line.

The visitors rallied and reduced the deficit with a converted try, before Steve Woolley kicked a penalty to give Swans a 13-7 half-time advantage.

A mistake from the second-half restart allowed Dockers to take the lead for the first time, with a converted score under the posts.

However, Woolley delivered another penalty to put Swans back in front.

Despite pressure from the home side, Dockers capitalised on a bouncing ball to touch down again with extras and go five points ahead.

With top spot on the line, Swanage regained the lead before the hour mark. Tomes collected the ball from a scrum and dived over the whitewash. Woolley scored the conversion.

In the final 10 minutes, Barnaby Knibb crashed over to secure the try bonus point and Woolley converted again for a nine-point margin of victory.