Championship: London Welsh back on top after win at Jersey

London Welsh returned to the top of the Championship as they got back to winning ways with a 33-26 victory at struggling Jersey.

Tries from Mitch Lees, Joe Ajuwa and Mike Denbee helped the visitors open up a 21-6 lead.

But full-back Jack Burroughs went over in the corner just before half-time to reduce the deficit.

A string of Alex Davies penalties saw Welsh pull away again before a late penalty try gave Jersey a bonus point.

For a while in the first half home supporters might have feared a trouncing, with the Exiles oozing confidence and running in their three tries in the first half an hour.

The try from Burroughs though, his first at senior level, looked to give Jersey fresh belief heading in at half-time, coming from a quickly taken line-out which caught the visitors off guard.

A Niall O'Connor penalty after the break put the hosts within touching distance at 21-16 behind, but four Davies penalties stretched the advantage to 33-19.

With seven minutes left on the clock though Jersey hit back. After pressure near the try-line and with the scrum heading towards the posts referee Greg MacDonald awarded a penalty try, which O'Connor converted.

Although Jersey have now lost six in a row in all competitions, the losing bonus point puts them eight points above bottom club Ealing Trailfinders - but the islanders have played a game more.

Meanwhile, London Welsh are two points clear at the top heading into the second half of the season.

SATURDAY'S LINE-UPS

Jersey: Burroughs, Pointer, Locke, Bishop, Foster, O'Connor, Williams, Fidler, Taione, Young, Campbell, Rae (capt), Buckle, Silcock and Maidment.

Replacements: McCarthy, Felton, Selway, Makaafi, Markham, Dudley and Griffiths.

London Welsh: Jewell, Stegmann, Awcock, May (capt), Ajuwa, Davies, Cook, Trevett, Morris, Tideswell, Lees, Browne, Kirwan, Denbee, and Stedman.

Replacements: Vella, Moss, Edwards, West, Thorpe, Robinson and Scott.

Att: 1,617