The Junior Vase dream is over for Romsey but the Intermediate Cup one continues for Havant, although it was a nerve-jangling 'only just' in both cases.

A last-gasp penalty with three minutes remaining from Oxfordshire side Wallingford snatched the 15-12 success from Romsey's grasp in the last 32 of the Vase, while Havant had to battle back from a 12-3 deficit to claim the same scoreline success to move into the last eight of the Cup.

Romsey were left kicking themselves for the missed opportunities they spurned in the first half. Had they profited from their almost complete domination, they could have been well clear rather than taking just Darren Sharpe's try into the break.

The Berks, Bucks and Oxon Division One outfit were a different side in the second period and pounced twice in quick succession just after the hosts had lost their influential skipper Ben Hewitt to a serious-looking knee injury, which could keep him out for the remainder of the season.

Fly-half Graham Noble's excellent effort - sprinting through under the posts and converting to try himself - levelled the scores to set up a grandstand finish, but the visitors had the final say, hitting the crucial penalty and Romsey could not find a way back.

However, they were left to rue the first half. "Had we converted the first-half pressure, we could have been out of reach before Wallingford mounted their second-half surge," said clubman Gary Banks afterwards.

Romford and Gidea Park may be staring relegation in the face in their London Two North league but there was little evidence of it when they went 12-3 ahead with the second-half wind and pitch slope in their favour against much-fancied Havant.

The Hooks Lane side were looking at being victims of a giant-killing before Matt Morgan and lock Matt Kell grabbed two tries in the space of five minutes midway through the period to turn the scoreline on its head and put the favourites ahead for the first time.

There was still a quarter of the game remaining and while Dave Jones and full-back Anton Petzer produced some strong runs upfield, Romford continued to press but Havant held out and progressed to the last eight but it was nowhere near as easy as first predicted.

"Full credit to Romford," said Havant's director of rugby Adam King, "they defended well and could well have ended up as giant-killers. We will have to step up a couple of gears and be more penetrative in the backs if we are to make further progress in the Cup."

Struggling Andover caused a huge surprise in their re-arranged London Two South clash, hitting second-placed Barnes 22-12 with an outstanding performance belying their next-to-bottom placing.

In London Division One - Havant's league - the match between Hertford and Canterbury was abandoned after half an hour, when the referee injured his ankle ligaments with the scoreline 6-0 to the hosts.

POWERGEN INTERMEDIATE CUP LAST EIGHT

Altrincham Kersal (North Division Two West), Bradford & Bingley (North One), Cinderford (South West One), Cleve (South West Two West), Driffield (North One), Gloucester Old Boys (South West Two West), HAVANT (London One), Kettering (Midlands One).