Hampstead produced a stunning eight-minute fightback to shock Old Haberdashers and make it two wins from two at the start of their London Division Two North-West campaign.

Peter Breen’s side trailed 14-0 at half-time against the side that finished third last season and, although Dan Dimoline got the home side on the scoreboard with a penalty, they were 21-3 down in the 51st minute.

However, they were ahead less than 10 minutes later. Alex Brookes and Arthur Haynes crossed the whitewash in quick succession and, straight from the kick-off, powerful winger Olufemi Ajayi also went over, while Dimoline kicked two of the conversions.

All that was left was the small matter of defending a one-point lead for 20 minutes – and Hampstead were down to 14 men for half of that period, but they held on.

Head coach Breen said: “It was eight minutes of quite simply the best rugby this current team have produced, with three tries of the highest quality.

“When the opposition’s captain, coach and chairman declares that it was the best rugby they have seen at this level, you know you have played some pretty good stuff.”