IT was a sad day all-round at Westcombe Park on Saturday. They lost to Barking 31-8 and, before the game started, players and spectators observed a minutes silence for past club president Bob Brett, who passed away earlier in the week.

Mr Brett was well-known in the area and he had captained Combe for four years in the fifties.

Parks recent run of good form came to a halt as Barking gave them a lesson in streetwise rugby, concentration and finishing in their National League Three game.

Barking often resorted to resolute tackling and infringements, many of which were not seen by the referee, and they opened the scoring after 11 minutes when winger Francis Lewis went over. Soon after, with the Combe defence in disarray, Knowles scored.

Combe got three points back when Coates kicked a penalty, but within seven minutes the visitors scored three tries and were 31-3 up at half-time.

After the restart, Shaun Welch scored for Combe, but there was to be no more scoring. Barkings streetwise play and professionalism led to frustration, with three players two from Combe being sin-binned.

On Saturday, Combe travel to Basingstoke.

Beckenham secured two valuable points with an 8-7 victory against a Tonbridge Juddians side without a league win this season. Becks were 7-0 down at half-time but gradually got their act together to score a try and a penalty.

On Saturday, Beckenham travel to Maidstone.

With Bognors ground unfit, Old Dunstonians played the Sussex side at Langley Park, and the home advantage helped them to win the London Four South East match 11-3.

Dunstonians expected a severe test, but they held on well to beat a side which is third in the table with three games in hand.

In the first-half there was not much to choose between the sides. Stewart Burns opened the scoring for ODs with two penalties and, on the stroke of half-time, Sam Sackey scored the vital try which eventually clinched the game.

Orpingtons away game against Old Olavians was postponed.