By Adam Hookway

Tonbridge Juddians returned to winning ways after back-to-back losses in National League 2 East - but their 41-34 victory over Bury St Edmunds was in the balance.

The league leaders trailed going into the last quarter before turning things around and, with title rivals Barnes losing, now have a three-point lead over new best-of-the-rest side Dorking.

Judds had Bury on the back foot from the start and a well-worked move saw Curtis Barnes speed over on the left after just two minutes. Sam Evans added the extras, but the restart was poor and the visitors capitalised with an unconverted score.

A Howard Packman try, after the forwards and backs combined at speed, and another Evans kick made it 14-5, but Tonbridge couldn't hold a firm defensive line and the away side capitalised three times to lead 20-14.

TJs responded with another flying move to send Barnes in for his second try on the half-hour and again Evans added the extras. Connor Lloyd, who was at his sniping best at scrum-half until injury forced him off in the second period, grabbed a quick tap and sped over but a fifth Bury try - with their first conversion - left them behind by just a point at the break.

Tighter defences and tiring players made the second half less of a spectacle, but the away side edged in front with a sixth try. However a yellow card for Bury was followed a few minutes later by a series of TJ attacks which culminated in Joshua Tusler going over on the right to put the pacesetters back in front by a point. Tusler then added a penalty to make it 36-34 with eight minutes left.

It took TJs six of those minutes to create a try-scoring opportunity as forwards and backs combined to create a two-on-one down the left, with Barnes finishing off in the corner for his hat-trick. The extras were missed, but there was no time for Bury to find a way back.

With four games left this season Tonbridge visit Guernsey on Saturday.