A depleted Rosslyn Park were beaten 34-16 at Dings Crusaders in London Three South on Saturday.

It didn't help Park's cause that added to the list of the unavailable for this match were top try scorer Niall Lear, scrum half Rhys Lapidus, centre Chris King and the influential Lee Gibson.

But Park made enough unforced errors and conceded enough penalties - not to mention 5 scrums taken against the head - to have lost three matches.

It all started brightly enough when Dings went over the top almost straight from the kick off. Skipper Richard Mahony stroked over the penalty for a 3-0 lead.

But Dings were soon back at the visitors and an elusive run from winger Edwards induced some missed tackles and was stopped at the cost of a penalty.

The tap was taken instantly and the try scored before the defence reacted. The conversion made it 7-3 to the Bristol side.

Park were soon back at them but too many moves were halted by their own errors before a surge through the middle by Jon Underwood was stopped illegally.

Mahony's penalty reduced the arrears to 6-7. Back on the attack, a good strategic kick from Mahony saw the ball taken on by Doug Rodman, again stopped illegally and this time the referee showed the Dings man a yellow card.

Playing a man up, Mahony kicked to the corner where Rodman caught the throw but Park knocked on when a try looked inevitable.

Worse still, given an attacking scrum on half way, Park lost it against the head and were caught offside as Dings attacked through the middle.

Their kick set up the catch and drive and they went over, the conversion making it 14-6.

Park attacked again through the middle and again caught Dings offside, Mahony's penalty keeping them in the game at 9-14.

Park were having as much territory and possession as Dings, but simply seemed unable to make proper use of it.

There were promising raids initiated by Richard Jackson, Rodman again and Martin Ridley but all came to nothing through either handling errors or conceding a penalty.

A concerted drive through the middle was resisted illegally and another Dings man saw yellow.

This time the set move worked for Tom Wells to crash over, Mahony's conversion giving Park a 16-14 lead.

Again playing a man up, Park attacked but were halted by a forward pass; an attacking line out saw the ball knocked down and then bounce before being knocked on.

Home winger Goodall eventually broke away and was stopped illegally by Underwood, whose yellow card meant that it was Park who started the second half a man short, the penalty sending Dings into the interval 17-16 in front.

Marcus McCluggage did not start the second half either due to an elbow in the face.

A man short Park were soon overwhelmed by an assault on their line, and when they stopped it illegally the referee did not hesitate to award a penalty try, the conversion stretching the lead to 24-16.

Park were now reeling under pressure. Dings put in another massive drive on the line, again stopped illegally and this time Adam Gates was sent to the sin bin.

Dings opted for the scrummage which, somehow, Martin Jackson (on for McCluggage) managed to disrupt.

But on Park's put in, Dings easily wheeled it then pushed over on the reset for 29-16.

Park managed to break away, but again knocked on. Then they conceded a horrific try when the defence seemed to part to almost invite Dings stand off Gasson to skip through the middle for an easy one and 34-16.

Restored to full complement, the remainder of the match was one way traffic in Park's favour, and the players deserve full credit for never giving up.

Time after time they drove at the home line but a combination of stout defending and their own errors saw the try line remain intact.

Park: R Jackson; Traynor, Singer, Paul, Ridley; Mahony; McCluggage (M Jackson); Daw (Cable), Blemings, Wells, Ryan, Forster (Sedman); Underwood, Rodman, Gates Sub not used: Kearns Park scorers: Wells (T), Mahony (3P, C)