HERTS/MIDDLESEX DIVISION TWO:Uxbridge 30 Royston 13

A strong first half carried Uxbridge to a priceless victory in a must win bottom of the table clash with Royston.

The Park Road club, rock bottom and without a point to its name at the start of the day, scored four tries in the opening period to dash any hopes third bottom Royston had of taking anything from the game.

The long overdue win took Uxbridge above Belsize Park and kept them in touch with Royston and Thamesians and they will hope the success marks a change in fortunes for the remainder of the season as they look to climb out of relegation danger.

Uxbridge took the game to the visitors from the outset and early pressure and territory was rewarded with three points from full back Glen Curtin's boot.

Royston levelled in kind but Uxbridge went on to dominate the breakdown and set piece to make life hard for the opposition, retaking the lead when a good break and off-load from Mickey Weymouth saw Steve Partridge crash over from 10 metres.

The Uxbridge backs and Joel Brasher-Jones in particular,werebreaking the gain line time and time again and from one such break down the blind side, Esmond Brown had just enough space to thunder in under the posts.

The home pack disrupted Royston ball at the tackle area, flanker Sam Cater punishing poor Royston rucking and mauling by stealing possession on numerous occasions and on the brink of half-time an Uxbridge gamble paid off royally.

Mark Mason turned down three straightforward points, opting to kick for the corner instead and after several good phases by the forwards the ball came to Weymouth, who touched down for a try that took the hosts 23-3 up at the break.

Royston were penned in their own half for long spells in the second period and from a line-out inside the visitors' 22, Weymouth found Mark Mason on the angle and after the ball was recycled and spun out Uxbridge winger Simon Batts claimed the fourth try.

Glen Curtin slotted the conversion to make it 30-3.

Royston enjoyed a 10-minute spell with a one-man advantage after Eoin Donnelly was surprisingly sin-binned and Uxbridge conceded two breakaway tries but it was not enough to change the course of the game.

The tireless Ed Baildon was named man of the match.

Both Uxbridge teams face Harrow for friendly games on Saturday.

* The seconds lost track of the score as they suffered a crushing defeat at UCS Old Boys II.

Both sides were short-handed but because UCS could not field a complete front row the referee had to insist on uncontested scrums and that played into the hands of the hosts who fielded a backs and back row dominated side, while Uxbridge were packed with forwards.

UCS kept the game open and ran in countless tries as Uxbridge rarely got to display their strength up front.