Hendon fell out of the Herts/Middlesex Two promotion spots after a heavy 62-14 defeat to a prolific Hillingdon Abbots side who secured the league title and their promotion with two games to spare.

The margin of the loss meant the Dons dropped below London French in the table on points difference, but there is very little between them as the battle for a place in the top two over the final two weekends of the season.

Hillingdon had scored 52 points and 63 points in their two previous matches so Hendon knew what to expect, but they were unable to do much about it.

The hosts took the lead with a seventh-minute penalty and then scored a converted try to go 10-0 up before touching down twice more to take a 24-0 lead into the interval.

Hendon replied as Mike Evans-Jones kicked over the defence, collected the ball and dotted down, with Cian Hynes adding the conversion, but the Abbots extended their lead to 34-7.

Chris Towndrow was held up the line, and Hillingdon were reduced to 14 men after a yellow card, with Hendon taking advantage as Tommy Middleton finished off a rolling maul.

Hynes converted to make it 34-14 and the visitors sought to narrow the gap further, but the hosts’ superior fitness in their back line told as they ran in four more tries in the final 15 minutes.