Fordingbridge throw themselves a London 3 lifeline after thrashing Alton at the Recreation Ground.

Third-bottom Fordingbridge threw themselves a London 3 lifeline after hammering an out-of-sorts Alton at the Recreation Ground but the relegation situation is still far from being resolved.

Victory over runners-up Camberley this weekend will haul the New Foresters out of the bottom three and, on the evidence of Saturday's performance, they have a sporting chance.

However, the RFU have yet decide to relegate four sides from London 3 and 'Bridge's efforts may yet prove to be in vain.

Come what may, Petersfield, who lie just two points ahead of 'Field, will have an anxious Saturday afternoon this weekend.

But on the evidence of this game, 'Bridge are far too good for Hampshire One. Indeed, many of Alton's travelling supporters were left scratching their heads and wondering why the home side are so deep in the relegation mire.

Expansive and confident with ball in hand and solid at the set-pieces, they also showed grunt and defensive organisation when they were needed. Stand-out was skipper Dean Lewis - operating on the blind-side flank - who may be a veteran but showed the energy and enthusiasm of a Colt.

However, it was the 'Bridge backline that really caught the eye. The current crop of players have operated together for a number of seasons now and they are a talented bunch. Their quick-footedness, pace and lines of running were occasionally exhilarating.

'Bridge piled on 28 points in the final ten minutes to put added gloss to the scoreline, but it would be wrong to claim the 45-point margin flattered them - they were well worth it.

And what of Alton? They had the air of a side that was going through the motions - understandable, perhaps, given that they had nothing to play for, having secured London 3 status and a worthy, sixth-placed finish. When they did try to put moves together they were ponderous, imprecise and disjointed. Defensively, they were decent in the first half but faded badly in the second.

Saturday was probably a game too far but Jimmy Gay and his inexperienced side can be rightly pleased with how they have coped in this, their debut London 3 season.

A couple of Alton players stood up. Wing Adam Gill had a keen eye for the break and put in some sterling defensive work, as did teenager Callum Watkins, who showed well after he was drafted into the front row shortly before kick-off.   
 
For the most part, the first half was an unedifying mess of turnovers and penalties, with 'Bridge pinning Alton deep in their own territory for most of it but struggling to unlock the visitors' defence.

Gareth Richards' cute fifth-minute drop-goal was cancelled out almost immediately by Matthew Norton's short-range penalty but the next score only arrived on the stroke of half time when Alex Tattersall plunged over following a series of pick and drives close to the Alton line.

Energised by their breakthrough, 'Bridge added two quickfire tries straight after the interval. First, scrum-half Adam Glenn's quickly-taken penalty 30 metres out freed wing Dan Brown on the left and his inside pass gave brother Steve an easy run-in.

'Bridge's third try was the pick of the bunch, full-back Tim Brittan's mazy 50-metre break from his own 22 ended with Norton going over after good hands from Steve Brown and centre David Stone.

Alton rallied, albeit briefly. Gay was held up under the posts and Gill was then thwarted when he escaped down the left only to be halted by Brittan five metres short.

But 'Bridge soon found their groove again and finished with a flourish.

Tattersall nailed the bonus point when he took Steve Brown's inside pass and barged through some tired Alton tackles, and replacement prop Phil Collier scored from close range. Sprightly wing Paddy Flood then joined in the fun, showing impressively quick feet and a startling turn of pace to bag a couple of opportunist tries.

Alton can now put their feet up for a few weeks. As for 'Bridge and Petersfield, their immediate futures lie in the hands of Camberley and the RFU committee room.

Fordingbridge: Brittan; Flood, Stone, Norton, D Brown (Grimes, 76'); S Brown, Glenn; Timms, Wheeler, Dossitt; Hitchings (Collier, 68), Spain; Lewis (c), Greenwood, Tattersall, Lewis (c).

Tries: Tattersall (37', 70'), S Brown (47'), Norton (49'), Collier (73'), Flood (75', 79');

Conversions: Norton (5);

Penalty: Norton (10').

Yellow cards: Wheeler (38'), Flood (54'), Stone (64').

Alton: Law; O'Connor, Hullock, van Herwijnen, Gill; Richards (c), Crowther; Osborne (Forsyth, 74'), Parratt, Watkins; Oliphant, Greenhalgh; Gerlach (Gay, 41'), Carter, Ford.

Drop-goal: Richards (5').

Yellow card: Ford (38').

H-T: 10-3.

Referee: Wayne Morris (Hampshire Society).

Other London 3SW results:

Old Wellingtonians 40 - 13 Old Alleynians;
Petersfield 24 - 30 Ellingham & Ringwood;
Sandown & Shanklin HWO Old Wimbledonians;
Teddington 89 - 5 London South Africa;
Winchester 22 - 36 Camberley.