A TROJANS fightback was in vain when they were hit with a late interception try by visitors Battersea Ironsides.

The Londoners raced into the lead with three tries within the first 20 minutes.

But fly half Jack Rowlands gave his side hope when, against the run of play, he sprinted down the touchline to score in the corner.

At 21-5 down at half time it looked as if Trojans had a mountain to climb.

But constant pressure thereafter was rewarded when Sam Semple got the ball to ground from a maul off a five-metre line-out.

Battersea had two players yellow carded within five minutes of each other and, not long after, pressure finally told when centre Nik Wotton finished off a combined forwards’ and backs’ move to touch down.

Trojans had moved to within four points of their opponents but, with five minutes remaining, an interception by Ironsides in their own half ended with a try to seal victory 26-17.

l Fordingbridge lost their third Snows Group Hampshire 1 on the bounce after kicking off with five wins.

But the result, a 12-10 home defeat to leaders Bognor, was not too important to the club who held a minute’s silence before the game in memory of Daniel West, a Fordingbridge mini, who passed away the previous day after losing his battle with cancer.

First XV newcomer Peter Scott and Chris Gogin scored tries for Fordingbridge.