After four rounds of action, we are beginning to see which clubs might mean business this season with others securing an important first win of the campaign. Photo Credit: (Peter Redmond)

National One

Blackheath continued their strong return to National One as they picked up a 43-13 win over Darlington Mowden Park to remain second in the table.

Leo Fielding and James Catt went over while Matt Dalrymple kicked seven points as the hosts had a 17-13 half-time lead.

It was all ‘Club’ in the second period though, as Stephen Leonard, Jake Lloyd, Tom Baldwin and Oliver Walliker added the gloss at Well Hall while DMP’s points came from a Henry Hadfield try and the boot of Josh Ree.

Three wins from their first four games means Blackheath are tucked in behind table-toppers Rams RFC who secured a fourth bonus-point success on the spin as Zach Clow and Max Hayman both scored doubles in their 31-20 win over Rosslyn Park.

Third-placed Plymouth Albion extended their sequence of victories to three as a blistering start – combined with a hat-trick from Harry Wilkinson – helped them beat Leicester Lions 45-21 at Brickfields.

Sedgley Park and Cinderford both returned to winning ways in Round Four thanks to home triumphs over Chinnor and Sale FC, respectively. Warren Seals collected 17 points in Sedge’s 27-21 victory while Paul Morris’ side edged past Sale 15-12, with the North-West outfit still waiting to open their account for the season.

Elsewhere, Richmond and Bishop’s Stortford shared 14 tries at The Atheltic Ground but it was the hosts who came out on top 50-40 as Rob Powell’s men registered back-to-back wins while Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley steered Birmingham Moseley to a first home victory of the term as they beat Taunton Titans 35-22 at Billlesey Common.

National Two North

Leeds Tykes overcame Hull to secure a 41-11 victory and record a fourth successive bonus-point win.

After seeing off Sheffield, Otley and Hull Ionians to begin the campaign, Pete Seabourne’s side found themselves 17-6 up at half-time as Nuu Nuu, Henry Macnab and Tom Williams all crossed.

Ben Dixon and Mike Jobling swapped scores but it was all about Leeds winger Harry Jukes in the second period as his hat-trick helped the Tykes pull clear and seal another maximum.

Rotherham Titans continue to be on the shoulders of the early league leaders as they made it four wins from four following a 43-15 success against Huddersfield, but Fylde’s unbeaten start to the term was ended by Wharfedale as Ryan Hodgson’s penalty three minutes from time snatched a 27-26 triumph for The Greens.

Sheffield Tigers are up to fourth as the irrepressible Mark Ireland kicked 19 points in their eye-catching 49-5 victory over Hull Ionians while Billingham squeezed past Sheffield to secure a 16-14 win, their second home success on the spin.

And finally, both Otley and Lymm opened their accounts in Round Four. Winger Sam Taylor bagged himself a hat-trick in Otley’s 41-26 away win at Preston Grasshoppers while it was third time lucky at Crouchley Lane for Lymm who got the better of Tynedale 33-26.

National Two East

Dorking scored three tries in the first 11 minutes but then had to battle past Barnes to secure a 31-29 victory against their possible promotion rivals.

In this meeting between the top two sides in the division, tries from Will Scholes, Toby McRae and Jonathan Ellis helped Dorking race into a 17-0 lead inside the first quarter.

But Barnes produced a superb response to lead 19-17 as Ryan Nixon, Cameron Roberts and Josh Davies all touched down for the hosts.

Tom Howe and Roberts then exchanged tries as Barnes remained in front, with Harry Mercer’s penalty on 58 minutes giving them a five-point advantage.

However, the decisive moment came just after the hour as Henry Anscombe converted his own try to ultimately seal another narrow win for Dorking over Barnes.

Armand Roux’s men are now three points clear at the summit, with third-placed Esher very much in the chasing pack after James Botterill’s score 10 minutes from time helped his side edge past Guernsey Raiders 19-14 at Footes Lane.

Braces for Scott White and Sam Lunnon saw Henley Hawks clinch a third successive home win as they dispatched North Walsham 41-14 while an all-round display from Tonbridge Juddians was enough for them to see off Old Albanian 39-21 on the road.

Also across National Two East, Bury St Edmunds returned to winning ways as they punished Sevenoaks’ indiscipline to record a 52-16 success, Tomaz Pozniak’s score four minutes from time sealed back-to-back wins for Wimbledon as they beat Canterbury 32-29 while full-back Toby Wallace starred for newly-promoted Westcombe Park as his 21 points helped them secure a first victory of the season (31-21) against Worthing Raiders.

National Two West

Newport (Salop) are off the mark in National Two West as they edged past Hinckley 22-21 at Forton Road.

Bob Adams’ men had not tasted the winning feeling since March but it would have been sweet on Saturday as George Castledine’s last-gasp try stole it for the hosts.

Timoci Waqadau had put Newport ahead but tries from Dale Bowyer, Reuben Logan and Ben Pointion gave Hinckley a 21-7 lead.

Newport then hauled themselves back into the contest either side of the hour through Thomas Cowell and Dan Green but Castledine missed both conversions to leave the home side trailing by four points.

However, the fly-half would redeem himself in the best possible way as his try with the clock in the red snatched the victory for Newport.

Old Redcliffians were the only other team in the bottom half of the table to record a win in Round Four as Tom Ford’s hat-trick saw them recover from 17-0 down to defeat Loughborough Students 45-24.

At the top, Exeter University and Luctonians remain picture-perfect after both clubs maintained their 100 per cent starts to the season. Exeter were pushed all the way by newcomers Dudley Kingswinford but three tries in the final 12 minutes helped them to a 52-34 win while a blistering start for Luctonians provided the platform for them to see off a battling Bournville 38-28 at Avery Fields.

Elsewhere, Frankie Nowell scored a late converted try as Redruth and Clifton played out a 31-31 draw at Station Road, a late penalty try and a mammoth penalty from the boot of Josh Matavasi helped Camborne defeat Chester 34-26 and a double from hooker Joe Hawkesby saw Dings Crusaders return to the winners’ lounge as they beat Hornets 19-5.

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