MODEST Dan Pollard kicked Bournemouth to within sight of promotion but quickly deflected the praise to his Lions team-mates.

The fly-half played a starring role and contributed 22 points as Bournemouth secured a dramatic 27-26 home win over Chinnor on Saturday.

Victory in the top-of-the-table clash made Lions huge favourites to claim the National Three South West title – and a place in English rugby’s fourth tier next season – with three matches remaining.

Apart from a Robbie Searle try, Pollard registered the rest of Bournemouth’s points – including a try of his own – to help repel Chinnor’s second-half fightback.

But the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic student, who was planning a low-key celebration ahead of exams today, was keen not to take all the credit.

He told the Daily Echo: “I thought we really deserved it.

“It was a shame they came back into it but it was a huge team performance. It has made our season and capped it off.”

Pollard’s 70th-minute penalty proved to be the match-winning moment.

He said: “There was a lot of hard work riding on that last kick.

“I have practiced a lot this season and it has been going really well.

“I try not to think about it too hard.”

The stand-off admitted he could not watch as opposite number James Cathcart, who had already kicked 16 points, missed a last-gasp penalty, which would have snatched victory.

Pollard added: “I would have hated to have been in his position. It was a long kick and I think it was just outside his range.

“I couldn’t really watch until it had come down and the referee had blown the whistle.”