New Milton & District RFC will be back playing London League rugby after breezing their way through a promotion play-off match.

The New Forest side saw their chances of automatically stepping up from Snows Group Hampshire 1 taken from them following a heavy last day defeat at Petersfield.

However Milton had done enough to earn themselves a one-game shot at a London 3 South-West place with a home match against Surrey 2 runners-up Old Whitgiftian.

The tie was pretty much wrapped up by half time as Milton raced to a 24-0 lead – their forwards in top form and backs flying on a hard, dry surface.

First half tries came from Lee Thomas, Lewis Waugh, Ramon Mallette and Ben Russell with Adam Lavis making two conversions.

Russell got his second try shortly after the restart and brought up his hat-trick after teammate Dalton Thomas crossed the line and a try from the visitors.

Old Whitgiftian never gave up and scored two more tries but their efforts came too little, too late with Milton running out 41-17 winners. Nathan Smith was named man of the match.

It has been a hugely successful season for the Ashley Rec based club.

The thirds, playing on an adjacent pitch, won their final game to claim the Dorset & Wilts South 3 title against second-placed Blandford, who started the day top by a single point.

The game was declared a 25-25 draw until a recount by the referee who awarded Milton the game 25-24 – which handed them the title.

The club’s seconds had already been declared Dorset & Wilts 2 winners but finished off on style with a 48-43 success over Salisbury 3s.