ELLINGHAM & Ringwood started 2016 in some style with an important 35-15 bonus point win against fellow strugglers Petersfield to lift them into eighth in Hampshire Division 1, and clear of the relegation zone.

Outside centre Charlie Cockram, pictured, scored a hat trick with three good tries and the others came from scrum half Dave Jones and full back Dominic Pitt who was making his first appearance in more than a year after his travels to New Zealand.

The other eight points were added from the boot of full back Josh Butcher with four conversions.

While it was the backs that scored the tries, it was the performance from the forwards that secured the win.

Alan Steel, Ellingham and Ringwood coach, said: “We’ve worked really hard in the first half of the season to develop our style of play and we saw glimpses of what we’re trying to achieve."

“Despite the dreadful weather over Christmas, we managed a number of indoor training sessions, which helped us to hit-the-ground-running today."