Guernsey will start the new year top of the table

After going into the half-time interval at Barnes on Sunday level with their hosts, the league leaders responded well to some stern words from coach Chris Griffiths to emerge with a 33-15 bonus-point victory – their seventh win from eight matches so far this season – to cement their place at the summit of Women's NC South East South One heading into the new year.

Vicki Rang scored a hat-trick of tries with the others coming from Fiona Power and Chelsie Blondel. Captain Jemma Crouse kicked the remaining points.

'We are now two points clear at the top of the league going into 2017 with five out of our six remaining games at home, so we are in a fantastic position to have a real crack at promotion and with Ashford up first on 7 January we hope to keep the winning ways going right from the start of the year,' Griffiths said.

• More in Thursday’s Guernsey Press.