Romsey's pack went through all of their gears - including reverse - as their backs shut out local rivals Fareham Heathens in an entertaining Merit Table encounter at the Sports Centre on Saturday.

Romsey full-back Nick Creal, whose increased girth was testament to his enjoyment of the festive period, landed four conversions and bludgeoned his way to a try as he accumulated 13 of the home side's points. But it was the combined partnership of back row and half-backs that ultimately controlled the game.

Flankers Jamie Glanville, returning after a long injury lay-off, and Phil Rosell were on hand to break down any tentative Heathens attacks. Scrum-half Gavin Harbour was like a ninth forward around the base of the scrum, ruck and maul; fly-half Jerry Francis, playing in an unfamiliar role, was confident and assured as he directed the plays. However, it was skipper and number 8 Tim Darby who stood out as the most commanding figure. Tackling like a man possessed and running in two tries, Darby was head and shoulders the man-of-the-match.

Romsey opened the scoring within five minutes of the kickoff when prop Richard Worley won a scrappy ball from a Heathens lineout and was forced over by the home pack. The hosts had already seen one of their starting number - "Ponty" Gerrett - forced to leave the fray with a broken finger.

Darby scored the first of his brace only minutes later, picking up from the base of a scrum and driving over, unchallenged, from 15 metres. Creal converted to take the home side into a 12-point lead.

More pressure from the home side saw Heathens defending deep in their own half. Had hooker Rob Austin not been wearing his Teflon gloves, Romsey may have converted some of that pressure into more points!

While the home backs were receiving a surfeit of ball, their forwards were coming under increasing pressure at the scrummage - where the visitors could boast not only age but also weight as a considerable advantage.

Midway through the half a fine kick from Francis led to a lineout on the Heathens five-metre line from which the home side recovered the ball. Harbour flashed the ball down the line to the marauding Brad Taylor who drove on, committing defenders to the resulting ruck. Recycling the ball quickly, Harbour popped to Creal. He, with men outside, cut inside to rumble over close to the posts.

As the half petered out Taylor grabbed a try straight out of the Keystone Cops coaching manual.

Pressured on his own line, the Heathens fly-half kicked from hand in an effort to bring relief to his beleaguered colleagues but only succeeded in slicing his attempt 40 yards across the face of his posts. Taylor was quickest to react and charged at the bobbling ball, diving and sliding across the goal-line in the corner.

Again Creal was successful with the conversion and the half ended with Romsey leading 24-nil.

Tails up, Romsey started the second period with a spring in their step and were soon rewarded with another score.

A tapped ball from Dave Richardson at a lineout on halfway was quickly spun infield. Fly-half Francis skipped past two tackles before sprinting the remaining 40 metres unchallenged. Creal added the extra points.

A controversial decision to sin-bin prop Paul Ogersby mid-way through the second period took the wind out of Romsey's sails and it wasn't until the closing stages that they scored again. But what a try to wait for!

Awarded a scrummage on their own 10 metre line, Romsey came under tremendous pressure from the Heathens pack but Harbour managed to get the ball away. Creal broke a tackle and crossed into the visitors' half, before committing the defender and popping a well timed pass back to the scrum-half. Harbour continued the drive deep into the Heathens half before passing to Darby, who jinked the final 15 metres past three remaining defenders to crash over for an exquisite try. Creal's penalty took the home side's total to 38.