It is looking increasingly likely that three clubs from five will be doing battle against the drop from London Division 2 South but Andover are doing their utmost to ensure they are not going to be one of them.

Their second consecutive win, a crushing 39-19 success over mid-table Sidcup, comes off the back of their surprise 22-12 triumph of promotion-chasing Barnes and has lifted them ahead of local rivals Winchester at the bottom of the table.

The North Hampshire men have turned the corner since the New Year with six points from a possible eight to take them up to third from bottom, leapfrogging the troubled county capital side.

They were done by a late try by third-placed Wimble-don and now face the top two in the league in the next fortnight knowing they must get at least something from one of them.

Winchester fell into a 16-0 deficit before skipper Rich-ard Knight got them on to the board and Dan Kinsey added three penalties to cut the arrears to just two points - a gap that was held throughout the second period until the South London-ers snatched the win.

"We started slowing and were forced to play catch up," said coach Mike Marchant, "but it was third top against third bottom and I was pleased with our determination throughout.

"We know what we must do and there are still games to play."

Richmond extended their believed world record of consecutive wins to 72 when they defeated Gosport & Fareham 42-15 in the home side's final match at their temporary Fort Blockhouse home.

Gosport were knocked out of their stride as early as the fourth minute, by which time Richmond had posted a try and a penalty, and it took until the 32nd before Jamie Daly got the hosts on the board.

But they were always well behind to the well-drilled league champions-elect and Andy Vance's score in the second half was always going to a consolation.

"We didn't go out there just to keep the score down," felt head coach Sean Fanning.

"We just weren't as good, simple as that. We were trying to keep it close but, before we knew it, we were a try and a penalty behind.

"What was disappointing was that when we did get some pressure on their line, we looked lost for ideas."

They sit fourth from bottom, just two points behind Tunbridge Wells, who were well beaten by Portsmouth 20-6, lifting them well clear of the danger zone.

It was left until the final ten minutes before they pulled away with tries from Oge Ofuasia and Grant Erskine, having defended well in the first half and kept the Kent men to a 3-3 half-time scoreline.

An outstanding Havant performance did their promotion chances no harm as they thrashed a very young Staines outfit 56-0 to maintain their challenge for London One honours.

Winger Keith Molyneux and returning flanker Nick Whittle both claimed braces while fly-half Steve Claffey claimed a 21-point haul.

The hosts ran in six of their eight tries in a one-sided second half as the inexperienced Londoners tired.

Havant's director of rugby Adam King said: "We still have things to work on but I'm particularly pleased our defence recorded a clean sheet for the second successive league match."