Haywards Heath admit the mud of Whitemans Green is doing their title bid no favours.

Heath steamrollered Winchester 26-0 on Saturday to remain well placed in London One but it was dour stuff from Alex Meredith's usually free-running side.

The skipper had hoped the game would be switched to Hove but dry weather at the end of last week ensured Heath's home ground was passed fit late on Friday.

Meredith said: "It was a quagmire and it didn't help us at all. There were 48 scrums in the game and it was generally hard work.

"I'm happy with the win but there were a lot of things I was not happy with.

"Our scrummaging was good but I thought our ball handling was awful."

Owen Ashton's late try rounded off a fine move and completed a good day for the full back, who had earlier kicked three penalties and a conversion.

Damien Lyall scored Heath's only first half try after good work from Andy Cook.

Nick Killick grabbed a close range score, taking his tally to four in his last two league matches.

There were no slip-ups from any of the title contenders on Saturday as Hertford and Southend also kept cleansheets.

Southend thrashed Cheshunt 55-0 and Hertford atoned for a defeat at Harlow earlier this season by beating the Essex men 41-0.

Hertford visit Heath a week on Saturday.

Bognor are just a point behind leaders and neighbours Chichester in London Four South East after a 24-5 home win over Beccehamians.

It was not a vintage performance but still a decent win as the high-flyers made a few changes.

Skipper Karl Flynn, who was sidelined by injury, said: "I'm happy with the points but we have set high standards recently and we did not really live up to them.

"The scrummaging was superb but other than that the best move of the match was when the referee blew the full-time whistle."

Dale Stevens celebrated his call-up at prop by grabbing the try which wiped out an early Beccehamians lead.

Stuart Pearce added an interception score and there were also tries for Tom Spurle and Andy Shipp, who added two conversions.

The relegation worries increase for East Grinstead and Eastbourne at the foot of London Three South East. Eastbourne remain in the drop zone after frittering away chances in their 15-3 defeat against Tonbridge Juddian.

Their only consolation was that East Grinstead also lost, going down to a last-minute penalty try having led by 12 points at Gravesend.

It now looks like the clash of the two Sussex teams at Eastbourne on March 29 could decide which of them goes down.

Eastbourne spokesman Graham Shiret admitted: "It was frustrating because we had at least three clear overlaps where we should have scored."

Ollie Cummings' penalty accounted for Eastbourne's points but their tackling was below par.

Prop Dave Tyson scored two tries for East Grinstead as they took a comanding 17-5 lead at Gravesend.

Stuart Sorrell also crossed and added a conversion but Tyson then went off with a rib injury and Gs struggled in the scrummage in the closing stages, which proved decisive.

A late try from Scott Patto, who charged down a clearance kick, provided little consolation for Lewes in their 20-8 defeat at Dartfordians.

Lewes's pack had the better of the first half but they turned around 7-3 adrift, Neil Rumble's penalty giving them their points.

Horsham were 29-7 winners at Hellingly in a re-arranged Sussex One clash.

Ditchling beat Newick 33-3 in a club game with tries from Will Pasquali, Jack Pienar, Tim Jones, Simon Eastlake and Tim Curren. Justin Wallden converted four.