It's all to play for in the National League as Oundle close the gap at the top with a huge win

Oundle ran out 71-21 winners with winger Rian Hamilton scoring four tries and scrum-half Lewis Finlay crossing for a hat-trick.

The top three in the table are now separated by just two points after leaders Old Albanians were surprisingly beaten at 11th-placed Esher. Oundle host an Esher team who have installed former England star Mike Brown as their director of rugby on Saturday (2pm kick off), the first of four remaining games. Old Albanians host struggling Sevenoaks, while second-placed Bury St Edmunds are at fifth-placed Barnes.

Standings (all played 22): 1 Old Albanians 88pts, 2 Bury St Edmunds 88pts, 3 Oundle 86pts, 4 Dorking 72pts, 5 Barnes 71pts, 6 Canterbury 69pts, 7 Westcombe Park 61pts, 8 Havant 59pts, 9 London Welsh 57pts, 10 Guernsey 55pts, 11 Esher 48pts, 12 Henley 44pts, 13 Sevenoaks 37pts, 14 Oxford Harlequins 19pts.

The Harlequins took a surprise early lead in Oundle with a converted try and they managed to draw level at 14-14 after two tries from Hamilton and two Ben Young conversions had given the home side a 14-7 lead.

Oundle then upped the pace even though prop Fred Reynolds and captain Young spent time in the sin bin. Winger Logan Noble, centre Matt Arden and Finlay all scored tries to leave Oundle in command at 31-14.

The second half saw Oundle score regularly as Hamilton and Finlay added two more tries apiece, while Anthony Maka and promising debutant Seth Roberts also touched down. This was a dominant display from the local side with the only real blemish being a lack of discipline resulting in four yellow cards, mainly for what were described as borderline technical offences.

Oundle are aware that this will need to improve when Esher come to town.

There is also a home game on Saturday for Oundle’s high flying second team who welcome local rivals St Ives for a Counties 2 Midlands East (South) contest (2pm). Oundle seconds have won all 17 games so far to top the table by nine points.

Peterborough Lions went down 53-17 at Old Laurentians in this division yesterday. Charles Pendlebury scored both Lions’ tries with Will Moore kicking two conversions and a penalty.

The city side are 10th of 12 teams and visit ninth-placed Brackley next Saturday.

ROUND-UP

Peterborough RUFC continue their battle for the final play-off place in Regional 2 Midlands East next Saturday. Borough are five points above Stamford, but have the tougher weekend fixture at second-placed Northampton Old Scouts. Stamford are at bottom club Wellingborough.

Neither club had a league game this weekend.