BANCROFT climbed off the foot of the London Three North East table after registering their first win of the season against Wymondham The 35-18 victory over the division's new bottom-dwellers will give the Bs plenty of heart heading into their clash with local rivals and high-fliers Wanstead this week.

Bancroft took just two minutes to get their noses in front on Saturday, Pete Robinson crossing the line and adding a penalty.

Wymondham scored a converted try of their own to move to within one point of their hosts, but Robinson was on fire, going over for two more scores and slotting a penalty, making the score Pete Robinson 23 Wymondham 10 at the break.

The visitors got on the scoresheet again but the Bs held off their surge and launched one of their own, Francois Nel going over before Robinson laid on Gavin Biston for the fifth try of the game.

Bancroft have climbed four places into eighth with eight points to their name.

Wanstead enjoyed ideal preparation for the weekend's encounter with a 41-23 win at Mersea Island, keeping them in fourth place and on course for a genuine promotion challenge.

Playing uphill in the first half, one would have forgiven Wanstead for conserving their energy for an assault down the slope in the second period.

But the team came out with all guns blazing and virtually had the game in the bag after 20 minutes, by which time three tries had been run in.

Mersea attempted to get back in to the game after the interval, but every time they managed to breach the visitors' defence, back came Wanstead with a score of their own.

Last year's captain Rob Seltzer signed off with a bang, as he played his last game of the season before heading out to Australia.

Paul Smiff and Johnny Smith also stood out with fine individual tries during the match.

In Essex Two, the derby between Ilford Wanderers and Upper Clapton ended with the latter coming out on top, 36-28, with a hat-trick of tries from Hack, while Tom Procel and Tom Roberts also got on the scoresheet.