Victory over RFU National League leaders Old Albanians gave Esher a huge boost in their fight for survival.
It was only their second win of a difficult year so far for Es but could not have come at a better time, sprinting ahead in the opening half and then holding firm against a determined fightback after the interval.
That left Es eight points in front of the bottom three, Oxford Harlequins already condemned but Henley and Sevenoaks currently facing a relegation play-off.
Esher can head to Oundle on Saturday – two points off the top – more confidently while two of the three matches after that are against Oxford Harlequins and Sevenoaks. Their fate remains in their own hands.
It was those hands which moved the ball so impressively to stun OAs at Molesey Road, taking a 27-7 lead by half time which ensured at least one bonus point had been secured.
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Three tries in the first 14 minutes set the leaders rocking, first prop Jacob Norris and then James Botterill – fed the ball in a sweeping crossfield move and using his low centre of gravity to burrow down the left. Although Owen Waters couldn’t convert either on a blustery day which made kicking hazardous, his task was made much easier when scrum-half Pierre Thompson went over under the posts, flanker Olly Norris’s break having carved a hole in the rearguard.
Waters soon added a penalty and the Molesey Road crowd were purring at seeing their side playing such crisp running rugby again after two difficult seasons.
OAs began to get a handle on the match, rewarded by wing Oluwaseyi Ajeigbe going over on 27 minutes, converted by Gregory Lound.
But within four minutes that had been cancelled out, No 8 Josh Thorne’s reward for a charge down as he won the race to the rebound and Waters made it 27-7.
With Albanians down to 14, Es took advantage within three minutes of the restart, Olly Norris capitalising on a long period camped on the line, Waters again converting.
But the going got much choppier for the hosts after hooker Charlie Fleckney notched Albanians’ second try on 55, skipper Thompson receiving a yellow card and being joined in the sinbin on the hour by Conor Ganley as centre Alex Noot narrowed the gap even further.
Fleckney’s second and Thompson’s second yellow – finishing his afternoon – left it a nervy final 10 minutes for Es against a side now sniffing blood.
That was eased when flanker Ant Pedlar intercepted a loose pass and dashed for the line on 73, Waters adding the kick, and although Noot’s second would close the gap again, it was too late to stop Es claiming a memorable and invaluable victory.
