East London ended off their away fixtures with a 39-15 victory at Upminster on Saturday (25 March) to secure third place in London 3 North East division.
Despite paying up the Upminster slope and into a strong wind, the visitors took the lead on three minutes. Fly-half Alan Ferguson landed a penalty from 40 metres awarded for a high tackle on inside centre Jono George.
Upminster took a brief lead on 14 minutes with an unconverted try but seven minutes later East London took a lead they were never to lose. Full back Ryan Billinghurst (pictured) collected a long home clearance and turned defence into attack. The ball was passed along the back line and Billinghurst finished the move he started with a try. The conversion was missed.
On 33 minutes Billinghurst extended the lead with his second try which Ferguson converted for a ten-point lead going into the break.
Left wing Sean Cooper was yellow carded on 42 minutes for tackling a man in the air and Upminster narrowed the gap with a penalty. Despite having a man less, East London scored again on 50 minutes. A superb diagonal running line from outside centre Andrew Little left two defenders in his wake as he scored right of the posts. Ferguson used the wind to float over the conversion.
The pack got on the score sheet ten minutes later. A line-out was safely gathered in the left corner and the forwards drove over the line from 15 metres out. Hooker Sam Ames-Reddin was credited with the try. The conversion was missed.
On 63 minutes Cooper scored the fifth try for the visitors which was not converted. Upminster added a converted try with ten minutes remaining but East London weren't done. On the whistle the visiting forwards made ground in the right corner and Ferguson fed replacement centre Craig O'Donnell to score under the posts. Ferguson converted.
East London 1st XV vs Upminster: 1. Gary Pearmain; 2. Sam Amres-Reddin; 3. Sam Corbett; 4. Geoff Coleman; 5. Rob Yiannakow; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Ed Brown; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Will Brown; 10. Alan Ferguson; 11. Sean Cooper; 12. Jono George; 13. Andrew Little; 14. Corey Griffiths; 15. Ryan Billinghurst. Replacements: 16. Adrian Samuel; 17. Daryl O'Brien; 18. Craig O'Donnell.
East London are in action at home on Saturday (1 April) at the Memorial Ground to second placed Harlow. Kick-off is at 3pm.

In other matches on Saturday (March 25) East London's second team the Wyverns lost 0-63 at the Memorial Ground in West Ham to Chingford 2s in the Shepherd Neame Essex Merit Table division 1 Cup semi-final play-off.
East London 3s lost 68-7 away at Westcliff in the Shepherd Neame Essex Merit Table division 5 Cup semi-final play-off. East London's try scorer was Bobby Newson with Frank Murphy adding the conversion.