BASINGSTOKE RFC led at London Cornish, before losing 51-8 at Roehampton to the London Two South West title chasers.

The game was only two minutes old when the visitors kicked a penalty after their first attack.

The London side were ahead two minutes later thanks to a penalty try.

Tom Jeffrey’s score and Philip Dale’s penalty extended the lead to 17-3 after 14 minutes.

Wingers Jeffrey and Stefan Duda then added two more unconverted tries before the break as Cornish led 27-8 at the interval.

As in the first-half Stoke were first to score in the second half, thanks to an unconverted try.

However, after this the home side added four tries to their tally as Jeffrey, second row Ben Levers, Josh Allison and Duda all went over. The two final tries came in the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Stoke are on their travels again this weekend, when they head to fifth placed London Exiles.