Winchester’s fifth win on the trot kept them well in the promotion picture – and also highlighted how much progress the first XV has made this season.

A year ago Winchester were beaten 57-8 by opponents Effingham & Leatherhead but the North Walls side turned the tables at the weekend – running out 46-3 winners.

Visitors Effingham & Leatherhead opened the scoring with a penalty but never bothered the scoreboard again.

Instead Winchester ran in seven tries – Number 8 Matt Golding, wing Matt Burt and fly half Greg Sullivan helping them to a 20-3 half-time lead.

Flanker Zack Kinnaird touched down after the break, Burt got his second, followed by one from second row Rob Rees and centre Jake Hiscock. The rest of the points came from Connor Breen’s boot.

The bonus point win edged Winchester closer to leaders London Cornish and second-placed Tottonians.

Coach Andy Fields said: “To win as convincingly as this after we lost so badly to Effingham less than a year ago is a measure of how far this team has come.

“But there’s no room for complacency, and the players know they’ll have to raise their game still further if we’re going to be serious contenders for promotion. It’s more than possible that who gets promoted at the end of the season won’t be decided until late March or April.”