RUGBY UNION: Stanford-le-Hope and Thames Rugby Clubs continued good starts to the season with resounding wins on Saturday.

Stanford have now won all four of their matches to date, and eased past Writtle Wanderers 34-16 in Essex Canterbury Jack League 1A.

Good early pressure from the visitors resulted in scores for Craig Stimo and Neil Cocker, both converted by Callum Reid.

Both sides scored from the tee before a scrappy second-half ensued.

However, Jared Gounden and Tommy Stimo went over, which Reid dutifully converted, before Writtle scored two of their own late on.

Thames made it three wins from four in Shepherd Neame Essex Merit Division 4, having crushed Westcliff 3s 55-5.

Max Clarke scored the first try after eight minutes, sprinting 80 metres to touchdown, with Lee Cairns making light work of the conversion.

Rhys Dell added a second only for Westcliff to respond with a score of their own.

But Thames ran away with the match after half-time, beginning with a superb try finished off by captain Daniel Proctor.

Clarke and Mark O’Connell went over, before the former completed his hat-trick shortly afterwards.

Man-of-the-match Daniel McConnell got on the scoresheet with 10 minutes still to go, scoring a second late on.

This came after Clarke had scored his fourth try of a memorable afternoon, with Cairns on point from the kicking tee.