WESTCLIFF surged out of the National Three London & SE relegation zone with a shock 23-21 win against fourth-placed East Grinstead.

A last-gasp penalty from George Parmenter enabled Westcliff to come out on top at the Gables.

And their first team manager Rick Compton was full of praise for his side.

“It was a bruising encounter but the guys showed a huge amount of guts and effort to get the win,” said Compton.

“It’s a big blow to lose further players to injury and a little disappointing that the sides around us also won, but both the result and performance have given us a lift we were in need of and it’s inched us out of the bottom three too.

“With a rest week this weekend we will regroup, dust ourselves off and turn our minds to the crucial game at Chichester, but the relegation fight now seems certain to go to the last game of the season.”

Westcliff went in front early on against East Grinstead with a penalty from Parmenter before captain Ian Dartnell touched down for the first try of the game which Parmenter converted to make it 10-0.

However, East Grinstead soon started to enjoy more of the ball and hit back with three penalties to cut Westcliff’s lead to just a single point.

The hosts suffered a further blow when Kostas Dellas was forced off with a hamstring injury but they recovered well to increase their lead when prop forward Ewan Binneman got over the line to make it 15-9.

But Westcliff’s hopes were then hit by an injury to Dartnell who limped off with a knee ligament injury which is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season.

East Grinstead immediately took advantage of the captain’s withdrawal to score a converted try to lead 16-15 at half-time.

The visitors remained on top after the break and bagged an unconverted try to lead 21-15 but Westcliff refused to buckle and soon began to dominate territory once again.

That resulted in Andy Barnett crashing over in the left corner but Parmenter was unable to convert and East Grinstead remained in front by just a point.

However, Parmenter made amends in the final minute of normal time when he successfully kicked a penalty to earn Westcliff a much needed victory in their battle to beat the drop.

Westcliff: Argentieri, O Jones, O’Brien, Mamea, Merrick, B Jones, Parmenter, Skidmore, Whiting, Binneman, Dartnell, Anderson-Brown, Cosgrove, Dellas, Reynolds.

Replacements: Morrant, Barnett & Boughtwood.