By John Ashton

Sutton & Epsom were in no mood to show mercy as they mauled rock-bottom Camberley 72-7 at Rugby Lane to move to the top of the Division Two South West table.

The home side were sharper, faster and stronger and at times played some wonderful rugby. 

With full-back Ian Knott getting four tries and wing Steve Warnham scoring 29 points - two tries, eight conversions and a penalty - the gulf between the sides was huge.

Knott opened the scoring after lock Mike Blakeburn made a superb break and when ever-present flanker James Caddy stopped a Camberley attack dead with a brilliant tackle - Warnham stretched the lead with a penalty.

Knott got his second try shortly after collecting his own chip ahead to score out wide. 

It was then the forwards' turn taking a quick penalty they drove to the line and prop Will Lloyd got the touch down again converted by Warnham. 

The Knott and Warnham show continued two minutes later when a searing break by left wing Mike Cartledge saw him put Warnham in for a try wide on the left which he converted.

Tireless captain flanker Matt Whitaker followed this in short order making a break out of defence he committed the defence and put Cartledge into space to score a rare unconverted try at the corner.

Sutton were by now rampant and a perfectly weighted kick out of defence by fly half Jak Martin was mis-fielded by Camberley and speed merchant Cartledge was there to scoop up the loose ball and score another unconverted try.

At half time Sutton led 44-0 with the bonus point try already in the bag.

Sutton lost concentration in the early part of the second half giving away far too many penalties and committing too many handling errors but they eventually got their play back together and a charge by lock Austin Sheppard sucked in the defence allowing him to put Warnham over for his second which he converted.

Sutton then gave away a series of penalties and eventually Camberley’s centre Ed Lea slipped through an unusual gap in the Sutton defence to score under the posts, he converted his own try.

That was Camberley’s last attacking contribution to the match and Knott got his hat-trick shortly after when given ball from the lineout he broke through several tackles to score wide on the left, Warnham converted. 

From the kick off, the ball did not make 10 metres and from the resulting scrum Whitaker picked up and simply ran through the defence to score under the posts. Warnham again converted. 

Finally from a clever chip ahead by centre Dominic Driver, Knott won the race to touch down wide on the left and once again Warnham converted.

Camberley's misery was over. 

This weekend, Sutton travel to Chobham, who beat top-placed Tottonians at the weekend.