A strong and determined Guernsey were too good for a much changed Romsey side that crashed to their second league defeat of the season at The Sports Centre on Saturday. Adam Coe, Romsey's bulwark number 8, lasted only six minutes on his return from injury before the referee sent him to cool his heels for a short period, having been adjudged over zealous at a ruck.

Guernsey's tight head followed for the same "offence" two minutes later so, for the opening stages of the match both sides were down to 14 men.

Romsey had looked in control and were driving forward until Guernsey's pack contrived to steal the ball. In a flash the visitors' scrum half had the ball in hand, and he scampered in almost unchallenged for the opening try.

Undeterred, Romsey came back at the visitors and were soon rewarded as a Graham Noble penalty sailed through the uprights.

Elation soon turned to deflation, however, as the Guernsey forwards moved up a gear and forced their way over for another try, leaving the host's tight head, "Macca" McCormick lying injured in their wake.

Noble, again, was on hand to land another penalty to narrow the gap.

What Romsey hadn't anticipated was a final powerful drive from the visitors that swept them, through five phases of positive rucking, to another try under the posts. The conversion took the score at half-time to 19-6.

Coach Bryan Musk was forced to withdraw the battered and bruised McCormick at the interval with Jamie Glanville coming on in the back row as Coe moved into the front line.

Within moments of the restart Noble landed another penalty.

Once again Romsey's hopes of a revival were dashed almost instantly.

Guernsey's forwards secured their own lineout five metres out and powered over for their fourth try. Romsey looked shell-shocked!

Noble had the chance to narrow the gap again, but saw his kick bounce off the upright.

Romsey then rewarded the crowd with a short, sharp display of brilliance.

Noble took a quick tap and jinked his way past the islanders' pack, driving up to halfway. Romsey's own forwards recycled the ball from the breakdown and Darren Sharpe swung a swift pass to Jerry Francis, who majestically danced around three would-be tacklers and drove deep into the Guernsey half.

With only the full-back to beat, the pacy centre threw a dummy that had even the spectators on the touchline wrong-footed and burst over the line under the posts. The conversion was a formality for Noble.

Romsey's hopes of turning the game around were dashed as they gifted possession back to the visitors from a poorly directed drop-out. Charging in through half-hearted challenges the Guernsey number 8 sealed victory with a try in the corner.

Moments later, the same player was sent from the field by the referee after a cynical, high and dangerous tackle left Romsey srum-half Darren Sharpe writhing on the ground. This week Romsey travel to Old Amplefordian with the 2nd XV hosting Sandown & Shanklin in the Merit Table (kick off 3pm at the Sports Centre).