A superb goal-line stand in the dying moments saw battling Elthamians secure a first ever win at a rain-drenched Brickfields on Saturday.

Going into the final five minutes, Plymouth laid siege to the OEs try-line with a series of scrums and forward drives, but could find no way past the resilient visitors' defence.

It was a thrilling climax to an end-to-end encounter in difficult conditions, in which neither side could establish a clear stranglehold on the game.

Plymouth had got off to the best possible start with a try after only two minutes, when Jack Arnott collected a kick over the top of the OEs defence and fed centre Dean Squire to touch down by posts.

Elthamians hit back just six minutes later, Max Wilkins marking his return to the side from injury with a cleverly angled run to crash over under the posts after excellent work from Tom White and Harry Ledger had taken the visitors deep into Plymouth territory.

The home side lost flanker Flynn Elworthy to a yellow card for a tip tackle on Wilkins but it did not prevent them from adding a second try when prop Dan Swain charged over from a driven lineout in the OEs 22 on 27 minutes.

However, it was Elthamians who took a 14-10 lead at half-time when White and Wilkins combined down the narrow side of a ruck to release winger Dom Lespierre who raced to the corner, White converting superbly from the corner.

As heavy rain began to fall at the start of the second period, the powerful Plymouth pack threatened to take a stranglehold on the game. But the Elthamians defence weathered the storm and against the run of play on 50 minutes, their dangerous backs combined to set up the crucial score on 50 minutes. A turnover midway inside the visitors’ half saw full-back Charlie Dockery release Lespierre down the right touchline. The winger raced 40 metres before passing inside to replacement scrum-half Rhys Morgan for the try.

It took the home side just three minutes to reply, however. Again it came from a driven lineout on the edge of the OEs 22 and again it was the impressive Swain who charged over for his second try of the afternoon.

It set up the frantic Plymouth assault in a fast and furious final 15 minutes but the Elthamians rearguard held their nerve and their discipline to hold out for a deserved victory.