Jostling for position at the top and bottom of National One and gripping drama in National Two East sets the tone for the next month in tiers three and four. (Photo Credit: thissportinglife2023)

National One

Leicester Lions claimed their third victory of the season as they beat Taunton Titans 27-17 to move off the bottom of National One.

Ben Oliphant-Thompson and Will Glister swapped tries before Dan Lewis landed a penalty to give the Lions a narrow 10-7 half-time lead.

Opposite number Francisco Diaz-Dart levelled things up from the tee before tries from Charlie Myall and Jake Sterland gave the visitors a 10-point advantage.

The game remained in the balance when Will de Boehmler crossed for a converted score but Gareth Collins’ side sealed the win when Joe Brock touched down one minute from the end.

The victory for Leicester Lions moves them four points clear of Sale FC, who dropped to the foot of the table after losing 26-11 in the Manchester derby against Sedgley Park (4th).

In terms of Sedge, they sit just six points off new league leaders Rams RFC who arrested a run of three straight defeats by securing a bonus-point 24-10 win over Cinderford.

Rams replaced Plymouth Albion at the summit after they fell to a 36-22 loss away at Richmond while Chinnor are back up to second as two tries in the final seven minutes secured them a 26-7 bonus-point triumph against Bishop’s Stortford.

Birmingham Moseley (5th) are the in-form team in National One right now and they recorded a fifth straight win after seeing off Blackheath 19-17 while elsewhere, former Darlington Mowden Park fly-half Josh Bragman tormented his old club as an individual tally of 18 points helped Rosslyn Park to a 38-7 win at The Rock.

National Two North

Rotherham Titans extended their winning run to 10 matches in National Two North as they produced a solid performance to defeat Hull 28-9.

Hull did hold a 9-7 lead with Reece Dean doing the damage from the tee while Rotherham responded via Will Milner’s try.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as tries from Charles Capps and Matt Challinor – combined with three penalties and a conversion from Lloyd Hayes – sealed another victory for the Titans.

Their latest success has only added to the excitement surrounding this coming Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash against Leeds Tykes after the league leaders also maintained their unbeaten record in Round 10.

A blistering first-half display against Lymm helped the Tykes to a 43-21 victory – an 11th triumph in a row – and Pete Seabourne’s side now have a seven-point gap between themselves and second-placed Rotherham.

The Titans do have a game in hand to come in December so there will be plenty on the line when the leading pair collide in Round 11.

The all-Yorkshire theme towards the summit continues as Wharfedale lifted themselves back up to third in the standings after seeing off Sheffield Tigers (4th) 31-17 while scrum-half Elliot Fisher broke a club record for Sheffield (5th) as he scored six tries in a 71-19 mauling of Huddersfield.

Also across National Two North, Sam Carleton and Ben Gregory were at the double for Fylde in their 41-18 victory against Otley, Preston Grasshoppers delivered an excellent first-half display to earn a 38-24 triumph away at Billingham while a late penalty try clinched a 28-25 win for Tynedale over Hull Ionians.

National Two East

League leaders Dorking were unable to snatch a win against Henley Hawks as they missed a last-minute penalty following a dramatic conclusion to their 18-18 draw at Dry Leas.

After being 18-13 down, Henley looked to have stolen it when Istok Totic scored in the dying embers to level proceedings but Hawks’ Max Titchener was off target with the resulting conversion.

But that wasn’t the final twist. In the aftermath of the try being scored, Henley second-row Omar Ellaboudy was sent-off giving Dorking the chance to clinch the victory but Henry Anscombe’s penalty from halfway fell just short so the spoils were shared.

The visitors had led thanks to tries from Cameron Cowell and Tom Howe, as well as eight points from the boot of Anscombe, while Leo Webb had gone over for Henley with Titchener also kicking eight points.

It might be no win in two matches now for Dorking but Armand Roux’s men are one point clear at the top after second-placed Barnes lost 25-22 to Bury St Edmunds (4th).

Ben Penfold’s penalty seven minutes from time clinched a fifth win on the spin for Jacob Ford’s men, who did have lock Ben Kelland sent-off after just 11 minutes of this contest.

Esher (3rd) are just two points off the summit as a hat-trick from James Botterill helped his side to a convincing 59-7 victory over North Walsham as the fight at the top of National Two East becomes increasingly interesting.

Elsewhere, fly-half Frank Reynolds starred for Canterbury as he scored 24 points in their 34-10 win away at Guernsey while Tonbridge Juddians benefitted from a solid start against Wimbledon to clinch a 19-12 victory and maintain their unbeaten home record.

A late Haydn Barnes try snatched a 24-20 win for Old Albanian against Westcombe Park while five Ben Adams penalties guided Sevenoaks to a 15-10 triumph over Worthing Raiders.

National Two West

Luctonians strengthened their National Two West title hopes after battling to a 27-22 win against Clifton at Station Road.

Before the start of Round 10, Lucs and Clifton were the top two in the division but it was the league leaders who prevailed in Bristol.

Tries from Charlie Grimes and Ben Link – either side of Kofi Cripps’ effort – put Luctonians 12-5 up at the break and they extended their lead on 42 minutes when Giles Morrell latched on to a cross-field kick to dot down.

However, a score from Will Owen and then Zakaria Hamid cut Lucs’ lead to just one point with four minutes remaining but a brilliant finish from Rob Aikman clinched the bonus-point success for the table-toppers.

Clifton did secure a losing bonus point thanks to Rory Taylor’s penalty but Lucs remain eight points clear at the summit, with Camborne now their nearest challengers.

The Cherry and Whites beat Bournville 29-24 while Exeter University are up to third as a last-minute penalty from Ben Coen sealed a 31-29 win away at Newport (Salop).

The two bonus points earned by Newport actually lifted them off the bottom of the standings after Dudley Kingswinford were beaten 54-22 by Hornets while also across National Two West, Dings Crusaders (4th) made it five wins in a row as they defeated Loughborough Students 43-17, Hinckley stretched their unbeaten run to three matches with a 31-7 success over Redruth and Jalen Curry scored a hat-trick for Old Redcliffians in their 37-28 win away at Chester.

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