Medway maintained their push for promotion despite an early scare in a 41-27 win over London Cornish in London 1 South.

Taff Gwilliam's side found themselves three tries down in the opening 25 minutes as Cornish belied their lowly position in the table with a fast start.

However Medway closed the gap to trail by a point at the break before finding an extra gear with four second-half scores.

Gwilliam said: "This was not our finest performance.

"Sometimes you just have to give credit to the opposition and be grateful to your own team for keeping it together after a disastrous start and securing the all-important win."

Within two minutes Medway were awarded a penalty, but, opting to kick for touch, they missed. Cornish punished the errant kick and eventually scored an unconverted try out wide.

To make matters worse for the visitors fly-half Dan Harvey received a yellow card, reducing Medway to 14 men, and Cornish took advantage with a converted try and a penalty to lead 15-0.

Medway vice-captain Max Easton was then forced to leave the field with an injury, replaced by 18-year-old Michael Fankah, but the away side's luck was about to change.

The returning Harvey kicked penalties into the corner and Medway scored two catch and drive tries from the lineouts. The first was a penalty try when the maul was pulled down short of the line - resulting in a yellow card for a Cornish player - and the second from was from Tom Beaumont from an excellently-controlled driving maul. Harvey converted to make the score 15-14.

The second half saw Medway pin Cornish back from the kick-off. Glen Wadsworth, playing his first game in nine years for the 1sts, charged a clearance kick down forcing a five-metre scrum. The Medway pack drove and No.8 Lewis Stimpson went over, with Harvey converting.

Harvey added a penalty to his conversion to push the Medway lead out to nine points and five minutes later the visitors had added two more tries.

A catch and drive try from Billy Sandison, converted by Harvey, and a pushover try from Stimpson took the game away from Cornish.

Centre Max Bullock joined Easton on the injury list, with Dan O’Brien replacing him, while veteran Billy Humphrey replaced captain Tom Beaumont as the last 10 minutes saw three tries - two to the home side.

Their first was scored out wide after some good phases play and fine handling. The second was a pick and go on the Medway line with the final play of the match after Sam Garofalo and Billy Humphrey had combined to score on the blind side of a scrum.

Medway return to league action on March 26 at home to Horsham.