DESPONDANT Eastleigh failed to capitalise on their blistering start to their match with Ellingham & Ringwood, scoring a try in the first minute but losing 20-15 to the New Forest outfit in Hampshire Division Two.

Playing against the wind, Richard Barker's good take from the clearance line-out at the kick-off released Paul Taylor and skipper Wayne Hayward outpaced the defence to run in a splendid try to get the hosts on the board with less than 60 seconds on the clock.

But, despite Eastleigh ruling the line-outs and mauls, Ellingham got themselves back into the game and Andrew Weeks hit two penalties to reduce the gap before Dafydd Williams hacked on a loose ball and won the race for the touchdown to give them the lead before the break.

Weeks added a try to his tally following a charged down kick, as Eastleigh spurned kickable chances, they were restricted to just a Clive Wooding try from a well-worked line-out move.

It was a disappointing result for the young Eastleigh side, especially after the early score.

Fordingbridge are up to second after they beat Aldershot & Fleet 22-10, courtesy of five Mat Norton penalties and a single try through Dom Ridley.

The game was as good as over as a contest when one of the Aldershot centres were dismissed for foul play on the half-hour and the Foresters had the game won following that incident as the north Hampshire side struggled to come to terms with playing with 14 men.

Fawley's hopes of breaking their league duck were sorely misplaced as they were crushed 54-0 by Chineham, leaving them stranded at the foot of the table without a point of any kind.

In Hampshire 3, Paxton Pumas recorded a superb 15-10 success at one of the favoured sides, Kingsclere, to lift them up to second as a last -inute try gave them the win.

Although they lost two props to the big Kingsclere scrummaging side, Pumas outplayed their more exalted hosts for much of the game but they could not cross their line until Paul Greenwood rolled off a maul to score out wide.

With just two minutes remaining, the visitors were holding out but conceded a penalty which was converted to level the scores. However, Rob Jones and Simon Hawes combined with Stuart Williams to drive forward and replacement scrum-half Cliff Moorhouse sneaked over for the match-winner.

There was little joy for Stoneham, who were crushed 57-5 by hungrier Verwood, making the Eastleigh-based side look ordinary with their flowing back movement.

Skipper Richard Legge reflected that there was much to work on and they have time to reflect given this very heavy defeat.

"It was very disappointing, but we need to put some work together to put things right," he said.

Andy Stride scored the only try.