STANFORD ran out 31-19 winners in a pulsating away encounter at Dagenham.

One long kick from Dagenham was well fielded by Jacob Cushing who left the chasing Dagenham attack wrong footed. Keeping the move flowing Cushing passed onto a charging Liam Morley, who stepped, then handed off and finally carried on his back the last Dagenham defender across the line to open the scoring and that’s the way it stayed until half-time.

At the restart Stanford collected their own kick and were awarded a penalty just five metres out. Instead of taking a certain three points Stanford tapped the penalty and Gary Burke punched a hole through the defending line to score. Calum Reid took his side to a 12 point lead when he added the extras.

At the next scrum, Stanford drove the Dagenham pack back and were awarded a penalty. Again Stanford choose to run the ball, with Morley coming back on the reverse angle and diving over the line for his second try of the day.

The next score was Dagenham's when Stanford gave too much space to the home sides outside centre who skirted around the defence and ran in under the posts to make the conversion for his side easy.

At the restart, Stanford's inside centre Jared Gounden broke a direct line and made huge ground into the Dagenham half. As Gounden was brought down he twisted and delivered into the hands of Billy Smith who finished off the move for the bonus point. Reid added the extra points to pull his side further ahead.

Dagenham crossed the whitewash again but so did Burke, for his second of the afternoon, soon after, with Reid adding the extra points.

Dagenham had the last say when they broke free and ran in under the posts and converted. Stanford's man of the match was Gounden.

The seconds were 38-5 winners at Kings Cross Steelers seconds.

Tries from Wayne Leach and Ryan Nelson had the half-time score at 12-0.

Tries from Kieran Carney, Nathan Hawkes, a second from Nelson and a final flourish from front row James Hunter ensured a deserved winning margin.

Man of the match was awarded to scrum half Kieran Carney, who kicked four conversions.

Stanford Sirens crushed Stockwood Park Ladies 60-5 in a one-sided match.

The pack gave no mercy at the break down with Holly Nelson and Lily Stribling both claiming hat-tricks, Vicki Matthews a brace and Kat Richardson and Ellis Powell one each.

Amber Patience also converted five times.

Stanford under-12s came unstuck against their Southend counterparts losing 35-15.

It was Stanford’s first game of the season, with the visitors winning the first game 15-5. The second game saw a more positive start for the reds, but Southend were still 20-10 winners.