NEWBURY Blues kep their South West One East promotion hopes alive with a dour 6-0 victory at Grove, writes Richard Ashton.

In freezing conditions and on a muddy pitch, two Dan Thorne penalties were sufficient to give the visitors the win.

Fourth-placed Newbury are seven points behind second-placed Salisbury, who they host this coming Saturday (3pm).

Southern Counties North strugglers Thatcham RFC suffered a 48-19 home reverse against mid-table Buckingham.

The hosts were outplayed in the first half as Buckingham ran in three tries in taking a 27-0 lead at the interval.

Thatcham scored early in the second period, Dan Tingle going over at the back of a powerful maul before converting his try.

Buckingham added two further tries – one an interception – before No. 8 Luke Butler crashed over for the hosts.

Buckingham extended their advantage with another converted score to make it 48-14, but Thatcham had the final say when Tom Simm crossed the whitewash.

Second-bottom Thatcham are four points adrift of Drifters, who they visit in a crucial clash this Saturday (2.15pm).

Tadley Tigers remain fourth in the BB&O Premier table after hammering Chipping Norton 48-12.

They are five points off the top two, though face a tricky test to in-form Crowthorne on Saturday (2.15pm).

Relegation-threatened Hungerford were annihilated 69-0 by high-flying Milton Keynes.

The second-bottom side host Risborough this Saturday (2.15pm).

London Irish were all but eliminated from the European Challenge Cup after they were beaten 28-18 by Grenoble in their Pool Five encounter at Madejski Stadium.

Exiles took an early lead thanks to a Shane Geraghty penalty, but Jonathan Wisziewski replied with two of his own to put the Frenchmen 6-3 up.

Geraghty levelled matters before the visitors scored the first try of the day, Gio Aplon unselfishly passing to wing Armand Batlle to cross in the left corner.

Another Wisniewski penalty extended the lead and Grenoble added another converted score later in the half when centre Nigel Hunt crashed over.

Trailing 21-6 at the break, Irish made a dreadful start to the second half when an overthrown defensive line-out was collected by Grenoble scrum half Charl McLeod, and he crossed for another try.

Exiles kept battling to the end and gained some consolation when Dominic Waldouck crossed following good work from the outstanding Alex Lewington.

The in-form wing also crossed with the final play, but it was too little, too late.

London Irish vist Agen this Saturday (8.45pm).