Shooters Hill were left to ponder what might have been after seeing a late try ruled out in their 20-19 defeat at the hands of HSBC.

A win over would have boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation but cruel fate saw them lose by the narrowest of margins.

Sunny weather at last saw the visitors press hard and slot an early penalty.

But Shoots were straight back to business pressing on the opposition lin, and a penalty scrum saw Dave Viney claim the push over and Peter Deady convert.

HSBC responded with a penalty but Shoots mauled over the line for scrum half Harry Barham to score, Deady again converting.

There then followed an intense period of attrition with Shoots' moves just failing to cash in.

A charge down by the bankers enabled them to run through the centre and add a converted try under the posts.

After the break hooker Paul Stephen put in a saving tackle but the visitors made their way to the Shoots line for a converted try.

Shoots worked to the five-metre line and Glen Miller was driven over but the conversion was missed.

At 19-20 once again the final quarter was all Shoots with a penalty hitting the posts and an incursion over the line being held up.

Key fly half Edmar Vinluan retired injured and in the final minute Shoots' scrum bludgeoned over the line only for a try to be ruled out.

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