Ball on the loose: Layton Batiste, who was to go off with a broken nose after scoring a try, looks to collect possession with a pair of arms on him. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0684142)

Guernsey 19, Chichester 42
GUERNSEY leaked penalties at the rate of Martin Johnson’s new-look England rugby line-up and, just like the national side, found it costing them dearly at Foote’s Lane on Saturday.

The league leaders were gifted by far too many points and having been pushed hard by a patched up Guernsey side in the first 40, they turned a 21-16 half-time advantage into a comfortable 42-19 win to stay on course for the title.

But despite the margin of defeat, it was hard to be harsh on Simon Sharrott’s young side who are finding next to nothing going right for them this campaign.

If their injury list was not long enough already, they lost Layton Batiste to a broken nose and fellow front-rower Dave McGall to a low blow which rendered him white as a ghost as he was helped off.

By the end, Guernsey had half a team of kids on the pitch as they found their squad stretched to the limits.

In such circumstances it was a decent effort by the home team who must now concentrate on surviving in London Three SW.