After looking like promotion certainties until a collapse in the final few weeks of last season, Gosport & Fareham have started this campaign in the worst possible way, with four defeats in their five games to date.

While playing all their early season matches away from home while a new clubhouse is built at Gosport Park may give this an unreal look, their defeat at unbeaten Barnes has set some alarm bells ringing.

And this result will not help as they struggle to get a regular team keen to maintain this travelling regime until early December as a mix of youngsters and veterans attempt to keep their heads above water.

They are currently fourth from bottom with one win.

Just flanker Brett Gamblin's try kept them on the scoreboard but captain Jamie Daly admitted the home side were: "Not that good, but neither were we. They are top of the league, but are not good enough to stay there."

"We are very disappointed. The commitment was not there and it showed, but we should have put up more of a fight. But, there are problems with travelling away every week."

Fareham Heathens stung previously unbeaten Sandown & Shanklin for the second time in succession on their own turf with an excellent performance in triumphing 25-7.

They allowed the Hurricanes very little and only some indiscipline in the final five minutes gifted the home side their points but it was a day for Heathens to treasure, tying the home side down in the forwards and releasing their own backs to good effect.

"We clearly wanted to win and did so," said pleased skipper Mark Dunning. "There was a big improvement in the way we approached and played the game. The unity and support around the field was much improved."