Welwyn's seven-game winning streak may have come to an end but a bonus point for four tries and a solid performance against one of the division's high flyers was still worthy of praise from the gaffer.

Welwyn were beaten 39-26 by London Scottish Lions at their Chiswick home, a result which keeps the hosts second in the Counties One Herts Middlesex table, three points behind leaders Cheshunt.

Welwyn meanwhile are down to sixth but head coach Gareth Hughes could still take the positives.

He said: "We came up against a well drilled and skilful London Scottish side, who will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

"We started poorly at the beginning of each half conceding two tries early in each half which ultimately cost us the game.

"The massive positive from my point of view was the way this young team climbed off the canvass and secured a deserved try bonus point.

"This is a young team which is certainly on the up."

The first two of those Scottish tries came inside the opening 10 minutes but the visitors went on to dominate possession for most of the half, starving the dangerous Scottish backs of any ball.

As has been the case for most of the recent winning run, the performance was built on a very strong scrummage.

And yet again Welwyn’s front three gave their opponents a torrid afternoon.

The sides changed round with the scores level at 12-12.

Welwyn’s first try came from powerful back-row forward, Ollie Brady, with scrum half Kai Wells adding the conversion.

On the stroke of half time, Scottish made the mistake of kicking a goal line drop-out straight to prolific winger, Jake Riley, who burst through three would-be tacklers to score in the corner.

Scottish did score five further tries in the second half, with only one converted, but to their credit, Welwyn refused to throw in the towel.

They got another two of their own as well with both coming from pushover tries dotted down by skipper Josh Milton and both well converted by Wells.

Replacements Ash Dobney and Josh Walkey were introduced midway through the second half and 17 year-old Will Nash came off the bench to make an impressive first team debut towards the end of the game.

It doesn't get any easier though for Welwyn as they head back to Chiswick on Saturday, this time to play the eponymous town's side, who sit third in the table, one point behind Scottish.

Datchworth's hopes of staying in the division though were hit by a 62-0 loss away to Finchley.

They are still second bottom but do have a game in hand on Hampstead, the side three points ahead of them.

Datch host bottom of the table Enfield Ignatians on Saturday in what could be a crucial contest.