LONDON NORTH-WEST THREE LONDON NIGERIAN............21 IMPERIAL MEDICALS..........20

Nigerian made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season - but somebody up there may have been looking over them.

On the third anniversary of the death of former club hero, Carl Christian, the Shepherd's Bush side had one man sent-off and another who must have been grateful his swinging fist came so early in the match - the referee gave him back his nine lives in one hit.

As it turned out, the reprieved Ugo Ekeowa played a vital part in his side's narrow win.

It was his pass that allowed Ali Shelleng to cancel out a tryby their Hammersmith neighbours, when Joe Codrington picked off a wayward pass to send Peter O'Neil on his way from 80 metres out.

Winston Bell-Gam then fed Mel Forde on his outside to magnificently pick up a difficult bouncing ball and put Nigerian further ahead. Just before the break, Shelleng reversed the favour to supply Ekeowa for a 21-8 half-time lead.

Then on 50 minutes the result of a fracas saw Nigerian's Anthony Obiekwe trudge the long walk back to the Linford Christie changing rooms. His burden was the greater when Medics popped over the resulting penalty.

Medics pressure against the 14 men saw Francois Tudor skip past a tired tackle to deliver a telling pass to Kevin Ilo, who did the rest.

With the conversion notched, the last two minutes were a battle of nerves with Nigerian hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

LONDON NORTH-WEST THREE Twickenham.................................................13 H'SMITH & FULHAM...................................20 TWICKERS has not always been a happy-hunting ground for H&F - but they came from behind to lord this one on Saturday.

The home side raced into a lead after a Hammersmith gaffe and then doubled their luck, only to see James Weekes hit back with an H&F penalty,quickly followed by Barr O'Sullivan's great pick from the base of the scrum to dive over and score.

Once Weekes had kicked Hammers level, the Hurlingham Park team camped out in the Twickenham half.

Ryan O'Dilley executed a smash-and-grab raid on the Twickenham scrum-half and landed on the loose ball to put his side ahead for the first time.

Weekes's conversion gave Hammersmith the breathing space they needed to hang on to the win.

BUSA RESERVE LEAGUE Rosslyn Park............................................20 IMPERIAL MEDICALS.............................17

IF YOU thought Frank Lampard got the rough end of the referee's stick at Liverpool on Sunday - spare a sob for Imperial Medics Reserves.

Three times the Hammersmith hospital side scampered down the touchline last Wednesday, and believed they had scored in the corner on all three occasions only to see the touchjudge's flag raised - that's the same touchjudge who was also a Rosslyn sub.

Kevin Ilo thought he had won it at the death, but this time the referee claimed he couldn't see whether the desperate kick-and-chase had been grounded.

Before that Ilo did get his name on the scoresheet, as did Fresher Mark and Tim Snow.