EFFINGHAM & Leatherhead lost for the first time this calendar year on Saturday against an in-form Guildford side, ending a recent run of five wins and a draw.
Against Guildford, the Eagles won the first half 10-7, but then Guildford ran in four converted and unanswered second-half tries to reverse the fortunes and seal a win that keeps them in the promotion hunt.
Inside two minutes the Eagles secured a long-range penalty for fringing, with Stuart Fee's kick landing just short.
The Eagles dominated the early possession and territory and it was 11 minutes before Guildford broke out from their own half into Eagles half, but then a mazy run with body swerves aplenty gave Guildford a try which they converted.
For 30 ding-dong minutes nothing happened score-wise and then wingman Richard Smith touched down out wide on the left, with Fee converting to draw the scores level at 7-7.
Five minutes later Fee kicked a penalty to give Eagles the lead and narrowly missed with another just before the half-time whistle as the Eagles went into the break 10-7 ahead.
The second half was a different story though.
With bodies lying injured all over the place as evidence of commitment if evidence were needed, the Eagles conceded four second-half tries, all of which were converted. Each of these tries came exactly ten minutes after the restart.
But despite the result - the Eagles' seventh defeat of the season - Effingham & Leatherhead held onto fifth place in London Two South West, one point above local rivals Old Reigatian, who lost 24-19 to bottom side Camberley on Saturday.
The Eagles are, however, 12 points behind Tottonians in fourth, with a game in hand.
That game is this week as the Eagles travel to face a Portsmouth side that currently sits three points and two places behind Effingham & Leatherhead in seventh.
Following the game against Portsmouth, the Eagles face a tough run in, playing a rejuvenated Camberley side at home, before travelling to title-chasing Chobham and then finishing with the visit of another side well and truly in the promotion hunt - Sutton & Epsom.
The Eagles: Woods, Cave, Allen, Thornton, May, M Smith, Young, Rees, Cox, Collins, Smith, Evans, Ralph, Squire, Fee. Reps : Quinn, Tublesi, J Foster.
