LEICESTER Lions secured survival in the final five minutes of their maiden National One campaign with a nerve-jangling 23-14 victory at Sale – a result which sent Taunton Titans down with Cinderford.

With four teams facing the drop before kick-off, Lions started well at the Dogs and went 13-0 up inside half an hour thanks to a brace of Dan Lewis penalties and a converted Joey Patrick try.

Yet James Robins added to scores from Connor Doherty and Tom Walsh either side of half time, and it was only in the 75th minute that Leicester regained a slim lead as Luke Bouchier slotted a penalty.

And the same player then set the seal on survival as he converted Patrick’s second shortly afterwards.

Taunton’s incredible late run stretched to four wins in a row with a thrilling 47-32 success at Blackheath, but they slipped through the trap door by a solitary point.

A Jake Hennessey try gave Club an early lead, but the visitors responded emphatically as Louie Sinclair added to scores from Sam Prior, Connor Banks and Deago Bailey.

Markus Burcham crossed for Blackheath before Sinclair landed a penalty, but Hennessey’s second cut the gap to 24-15 at half-time.

Titans sealed a bonus-point when Charlie Wright touched down, Sinclair again on target before two more three-pointers extended the lead further.

Burcham crossed twice in three minutes to give his side hope while completing a hat-trick, Tom Ffitch converting the first, but Sinclair took his tally to 22 with another penalty and after adding to Bailey’s second.

Blackheath had the final word as Ffitch bisected the uprights following a Mark Cooke score, but it was too little, too late.

Bishop’s Stortford ensured they stay at Level Three as they won their shoot-out at Cinderford 27-22.

The visitors built up a 24-0 lead and sealed a bonus-point inside half an hour, a penalty try and further scores from Harrison Langworthy, Jake Morris and Will Rogers doing the damage along with a Tom Walker conversion.

Sam Smith gave Cindy a lifeline before the break, George Porter then over for the Foresters second midway through the second quarter.

A Connor Lloyd penalty moved Stortford 17 points in front, and despite Smith doubling up, Mike Wilcox with the extras, and Max Knight also touching down, it was not enough for Cinderford as they finished bottom.

Champions Chinnor signed off in style with a breath-taking 42-40 triumph at Darlington Mowden Park.

Morgan Passman put the visitors in front with a fifth-minute try against his former club, Nathan Chamberlain converting before repeating the trick after Mark Darlington dotted down.

DMP levelled through Obi Ene and Yaree Fantini, Callum Pascoe on target both times, and then went 19-14 up as Josh Ree crossed.

Chamberlain nudged Chinnor back in front after Grant Hughes went over, before a Mowden penalty try was nullified by Passman’s second, the conversion giving the champions a 28-26 half-time advantage.

Connor Brockschmidt was next to go over for the table-toppers, Chamberlain maintaining his perfect record, but Darlington stuck to the task as Ene and Fantini doubled up.

With Pascoe adding to both it was 40-35, but Passman completed a memorable return up north with his hat-trick, Chamberlain’s conversion proving decisive.

Plymouth Albion secured fourth spot with an entertaining 33-28 home win against the side one above them, Rosslyn Park.

It was the Londoners who went in front early, Ewan Fenley touching down before Patrick Kelly landed the kick.

Tom Putt did the same for Albion after Scott Makepeace’s try, but Park responded immediately through Joe Luca Smith and Kelly.

The end-to-end action continued as Jack Oulton went over for the hosts, but Rosslyn led 21-12 at half-time after Fenley grabbed a second and Kelly made it three from three.

However, Plymouth hit back and took the lead thanks to a Harry Wilkinson brace and two more Putt conversions, only for the visitors to regain it when Kelly added to an Isaac Miller score.

It was Albion who snatched victory at the death, though, Connor Eastgate the try-scorer before Putt added gloss to the score-line.

Richmond finished in style with a convincing 50-18 home win against Sedgley Park, ending sixth in the table.

Two Warren Seals put the visitors in front before Lewis Dennett converted Callum Torpey’s try for 7-6 at the interval.

Dennett knocked over a penalty and then added to a George Nugent try, Tigers replying as Seals was on target after a Matt Sturgess score.

However, Richmond then put the game to bed with a blistering 26 unanswered points in just 14 minutes, Nugent, Chidera Obonna, Paddy Case and Charlie Cadogan touching down as Dennett converted two and Alex Burrage one.

An Alex Wills effort for Sedge made it 43-18, but the hosts had the final word as Obonna doubled up and Burrage brought up the half century with the extras.

Rams ended their runners-up campaign with a 39-31 reverse at Birmingham Moseley.