HERTS/MIDDLESEX ONE:Kilburn Cosmos 25 Old Abbotstonians 30

Relegation-threatened  Old Abbotstonians secured a dramatic 30-25 win in a match where the lead changed hands no fewer than seven times.

Abbots were heading for their sixth defeat from seven games until in stoppage time a good move from the base of a scrum saw skipper Stuart Parkin outflank the Kilburn Cosmos defence to score under the posts.

The priceless victory moved Abbots above Cosmos and out of the drop zone in what could turn out to be an early relegation decider.

The Abbots side was ravaged by injury and it started nervously, but took a 3-0 lead thanks to a Jamie Jamieson drop goal.

A penalty and a converted try left them 10-3 down but man of the match Neil Gordge twice forced his way over the Kilburn line within 10 minutes to take Abbots back in front, only for Cosmos to punish a misunderstanding in the visitors' defence and sprint through a gap from a line-out to make it 20-18 to Kil-burn at half-time.

Nerves showed after the break and the second period was littered with errors, infringements and turnovers.

Abbots exchanged unconverted tries to retake and concede the lead for a third time and with 15 minutes to go they trailed 25-23 before sneaking home at the death.

They entertain West London in the first round of the Middlesex Bowl on Saturday at 12.30pm.