Lowly Tottonians gave London 2 South-West run-away leaders Gosport & Fareham a fright – and could have forced a draw, or won, with the last play of the match.

Totts – who need to notch up points to get out of the relegation area – turned down an opportunity to level the scores with a penalty and instead went for a win.

The positive plan backfired but they still picked up a bonus point for being within seven points of their opponents, and, as other results went their way, moved out of the bottom two.

Coach Gavin Williams had promised Gos a battle and his side was in the driving seat at half-time. Bryn Marshall and Richard Buck both scored tries, one of which was converted, with the leaders only producing a penalty from Andy Voyce in the first 40 minutes.

Gosport came back after the break with tries from prop Simon Pickett and wing Gareth Jones to go with seven points from Vance’s boot and Totts crossed the line once more as Richard Buck got his second of the day.

With the score at 20-17 in Gosport’s favour on 90 minutes, Totts went for the win but had to settle with a losing bonus point.

The move clearly surprised Gosport coach Mark Wells, who said after the game: “Never in a million years would we have made that decision to go for the corner not the penalty chance.

“They (Tottonians) were completely not clued in there and let us off the hook because they awarded us a win and the three points when it should have been a 20-20 draw.

“I don’t think you should ever go away to any team and choose to not win, but they went for the win there and it cost them the draw.

“You can see their point of view because they were in bonus point territory.”

But Williams backed the decision of his players 100 per cent.

He said: “Yes, we had the chance to kick for two bonus points but the lads took the decision to go for the win, which would have given us five points.

“They made the decision on the field and I applaud them for it. We were going out to win a game of rugby, not draw it.

“In the end we got a bonus point and moved up one place and if someone had offered us that before the match we would probably have taken it.”

See today's Southern Daily Echo for a comprehensive round-up of all the weekend's local rugby action.