Two Hampshire rugby clubs showed their opponents how to make the most of appalling weather conditions and then protect hard-earned first-half leads at the weekend.

Both Tottonians RFC and Trojans had a strong wind in their favour over the first 40 minutes but knew their opponents’ turn was soon to follow.

Totts could not be sure their three-try, 19-0 half-time advantage over Chiswick in London 1 South would be enough and Trojans were also concerned that the 10-0 lead they had over Old Tonbridgians would be swallowed up when the teams changed ends.

However Totts’ all-round team performance against strong winds was rewarded with another three tries after the break to earn a 36-3 victory and Trojans held off a comeback from their Surrey opponents, who brought the scores level at one point, to claim a win with a try in the closing stages.

Totts took 5-0 lead after ten minutes at their gusty Water Lane ground when fullback Pierre Clark chipped over the Chiswick defence and collected the ball to drive over the line.

The determined Londoners defended well for the next 25 minutes but Totts crossed the line two more times before the break – a couple of delayed passes from Mike Searle allowed Ali Ramus to place down under the posts and Clarke sidestepped tackles to touch down, with Robbie Searle converting both.

Chiswick collected their three points not long after the interval but the next 40 minutes belonged to Totts. Richard Buck’s great solo effort was ruled out for a knock-on but the bonus point try was not long coming - Mike Searle broke through the defence and dived over before he claimed his second from strong Tottonains rucking.

Buck got on the scoresheet a couple of minutes before the end when he ran on to a pass off a scrum on the Chiswick’s 22 line.

The victory was Totts’ first in 2016 – they ended last year with a couple of high-scoring wins but then suffered defeat at home to Maidstone and at Sidcup.

Head coach Gavin Williams said: “We were a bit disappointed with those two results. While we didn’t play well we felt we could have won both of those games.

“While we clearly needed a good performance Saturday, getting a good result was really important as well. The pleasing thing was we turned out a good performance and got a bonus point win so it was a really positive day.

“There wasn’t a single player who under-performed. We had prop Danny Mills making his first team debut. He was up against a big unit and did really well and stayed on for the first 60 minutes.”

He added: “We have a game in hand over some of the teams above us. It is against second-placed Sutton & Epsom which is not going to be an easy task but clearly we want to go and kick on with this positive form and we are pretty confident we can.

“The only challenge we’ve got is when we do play them (February 27) there are a number of lads unavailable because it was a free weekend but we will still be able to turn out a strong side.”

It was a hard slog for Trojans on their heavy pitch in awful weather conditions but worth every ounce of the 100 per cent effort they put in.

The Stoneham Lane side came under early pressure from Old Tonbridgians but, with the wind on the home side’s back, fullback Toogi Long’s kick out of his 22 took them to their opponents’ line where Number 8 James Herbert dived over from a five metre scrum.

The pattern of play continued with OTs’ strong running gaining them territory but excellent wind-assisted kicking by Trojans pushing them back. On the half hour another punt forward gave Trojans possession in OTs’ 22 and great inter-passing by the home side’s forwards ended with scrum half Neal Haworth touching down.

A 10-0 lead at half time seemed to be too little with the strong wind now in Trojans’ face and the addition of rain making it worse. Within five minutes OTs had stormed down the pitch to score an unconverted try.

Trojans employed some sensible tactics, keeping the ball close with plenty of forward play and short inter-passing. However the scores were levelled when an OTs’ player and ran virtually unopposed to the line.

With 15 minutes left Trojans turned over a scrum on the half way line and forwards and backs drove down the pitch and over the line, only for the move to disallowed for a knock-on.

But they got their just reward in the closing stages when prop Marcus Coffin crashed over for a well-deserved try.

Neighbouring rivals Eastleigh remain Hampshire’s leading side in the division but Trojans, whose Veterans also beat Havant in the John Sneezum Cup on Saturday, are now just five points behind with a game in hand.

In London 2 South-West Warlingham put more distance between themselves and visitors Andover by beating their Hampshire opponents 13-12.

The weekend was not originally scheduled for league games but several sides took the opportunity to catch up on fixtures that had been postponed because of the wet weather.

And no club took more advantage of the opportunity to play than Fareham Heathens who put themselves on top of Snows Group Hampshire 1 with a 43-19 home win over Isle of Wight.

Millbrook continue to fly the flag for Hampshire in the RFU Junior Vase after turning the tables on Chipstead.

The Surrey club beat Brook at the same stage last season but this time were beaten 27-12 on their own ground.

Brook hit their opponents with two tries in the opening three minutes with captain Mike Randell and centre Mark Colmer going over the line.

Brother Rich Colmer added a penalty and converted try as Brook moved to 20-0 up at the break.

Poor weather conditions played a part in the second half with Chipstead being backed by a strong tail wind.

They were awarded a penalty try for their efforts at the scrum but with minutes to go winger Randell intercepted for a converted try. Chipstead still managed a consolation try in the closing stages.

Fordingbridge were beaten 25-14 at home in the same competition while Eastleigh were defeated 49-20 by Alresford Bulls in the Senior Vase where US Portsmouth also lost out, 20-12, at home to Heathfield & Waldron.