SECOND placed Basildon had a rare off day but were still able to beat bottom of the table Beccles 5-3.

Beccles were stronger in the tight and about the park and had a couple of good chances to score tries.

They took a deserved lead with a penalty kick in the 22 minute.

But this stung Basildon into action and from a well worked front of the line out move between skipper and prop Dave Stevens and flanker Marc Chandler they set up a pick and drive move to the try line with second row Jim Harman finishing robustly.

The home side continued to have the best of the play and crucially, as it turned out, missed a penalty on the half hour mark to keep it 5-3 at half-time.

The second period was much of the same with Beccles impressive in most areas of the game particularly the line out but they could not turn their superiority in to points.

However, Basildon came close to scoring with a pushover try foiled at the last moment then impressive winger Daniel Rowley appeared to ground the ball after a chip and chase but the referee was unsighted and gave a drop out 22.

That kept the winning margin at just two points and Basildon were relieved to hear the final whistle.

They remain eight points behind league leaders Rumford and Idea Park.

Basildon: Chapman, Hickey, Baker, Dieu de la Bellefontaine, Rowley, Johnson, White, Stevens, Pehlevan, Baker, Creasey, Harman, Chandler, Kemp, Crowhurst. Replacements: Read and Chester.

>CANVEY Island slipped to second from bottom in the table after losing 32-10 at home to Woodford.

They were overtaken by Old Streetonians who beat Ipswich 21-17.