BEACONSFIELD RFC are champions of the Southern Counties League in all but name.

They beat Aylesbury 27-9 away last weekend while Windsor’s challenge was wiped out in a 16-3 home defeat to Milton Keynes.

It means Beaconsfield are ten points clear of Milton Keynes with just two games left this season.

Head coach Allan Greene said: “Even I’ve got to admit that we’ve done it now.

“We’d have to lose both our games and Milton Keynes would have win to theirs by 50 points or something. I can’t see us slipping up now.”

However, it looked like the champagne would have to remain on ice as they struggled to deal with Aylesbury’s intensity in the first 40 minutes.

The hosts built a healthy 9-3 lead, denying Beaconsfield any room to breath until they finally broke free of the shackles after the break with tries from Callum Wilkinson, Wayne Jackson and James Watson helping them to back up last week’s win at Windsor.

Greene said: “It was a difficult game. They were really up for it and the players and crowd were cheering everytime they won a breakdown or penalty.

“It was like a cup final atmosphere, we were 9-3 down at half time and Aylesbury deserved it. Our line-out was being disrupted, our scrum was being wheeled and we just weren’t getting on the front foot.

“We just had to get some clean ball from the set piece and trust what we were doing, and in the end we were running riot.

“We butchered three tries and scored three more and it was a great time to get a monkey off our backs because as a player I’d never won there and I know Beaconsfield haven’t won there for a long time.”

The victory was their 16th in 18 league games and stretched their points difference out to plus 408. It would take not one but two minor miracles to deny them a place alongside High Wycombe and Marlow in South West 1 East now.

Greene said: “I thought we’d be thereabouts, but I didn’t expect to win it with two games to spare. The season has gone beyond my expectations, especially the last two games playing in different situations under different pressures.

“To be a good side you have to win away and the players have shown they have the hardness to compete at the next level.”

Tomorrow Beaconsfield sign off at home against Wallingford. Cue the party.

Meanwhile, in South West 1 East, High Wycombe’s 32-12 victory over Swanage means they are all but home and hosed in their battle against the drop.

All three of their remaining fixtures are against teams in the bottom four and it’s almost impossible for Wycombe to slip up now.

Head coach Paul Gaster said: “If we get a result this weekend then we’re most definitely safe and it’s in our hands now with three games left now against three sides below us.

“We’re not safe yet, but it was a good win and a good performance against Witney.”

Tomorrow they go to bottom club Olney while Marlow take on leaders Maidenhead having climbed to third place in the league last weekend with a 30-16 triumph over Swindon.

Steve Pincott, Harry Rodger and two tries from wing Matt Saunders got them over the line.

They now head a cluster of four teams separated by just three points.