Winchester crashed to their fifth defeat of the season and plummeted to the bottom of the table after a heavy beating at the Linford Christie Stadium last Saturday, writes Tom Morris.

The visitors couldn't cope with a rampant London Nigerian side, and conceded ten tries.

To borrow a Blackadder phrase for a moment: "It started badly, tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better." That seems a fair appraisal of a Winchester fan's afternoon!

It beggars belief that their opponents had only won once this season after a fantastic exhibition of power and pace in the second half.

Apart from the set-piece, where the visitors at least managed to establish parity, Winchester failed to compete effectively in any area.

It was a game that will be best forgotten by a depleted team which failed to perform anywhere near its potential.

Ironically, the Hampshire side took the lead almost from the kick-off as Andy Ashwin calmly slotted a penalty after the hosts had infringed at the ruck.

Winchester did not help their cause in the first half with basic errors from the backs, such as missing touch and loose passing, which cost them three tries. These were mistakes the visitors could ill afford as Nigerians took a strong hold of the game, feasting on the visitors' carelessness.

They did threaten on the stroke of half-time when Nigerians conceded a series of penalties near their own line, but again an unsympathetic pass saw the move break down and leave the half-time score 243.

At that stage the game wasn't totally out of reach, as it was now Winchester's chance to use the stiff breeze to their advantage. But this evaporated when the home side rampaged up the pitch and scored just after the break. Having built an unsurpassable lead, the hosts threw the ball about with gay abandon.

Most of the home team's industry came from former Bath and England U19 flyer Tokunbo Adebayo. His swerving runs and powerful tackle-breaking mirrored his more illustrious brother Adedayo Adebayo's terrific skills, which have brought him six England caps.

As the game wore on it began to resemble a sevens match, with Winchester hoofing possession away; the London side ran the ball back with palpable interest. Rarely did the home side take the ball into contact, much preferring to look for the supporting man or spin the ball wide in true sevens style.

Into the wind the home side ran in an incredible six tries as the visitors failed to cope with the athleticism of their opponents.

"We are all disappointed with the performance, the guy who sorts out the kit, the supporters, the players and the members of the board that came to watch us," said disappointed head coach Mike Marchant.

"We seemed to lack a leader today who could drag us together and make us perform."

Winchester: Waddington, Jones, Stooksbury, West, Smith, Ashwin (Destefano, 70), Turner, Dorling, Millar, Mort (Graham, 70), Miller, Ettinger, Pervin, Jacob, Taylor (Hayes, 70).