GEORGE Griffiths scored a hat-trick of tries as Henley Hawks kept their play-off hopes alive with a 42-19 win at Worthing.

The win leaves the side eight points off second-placed Canterbury in National League 2 South, with a game in hand.

Hawks raced into a 21-0 lead, thanks to tries from Tom Hall, Griffiths and Tom Emery, Ben Bolster converting.

Henley’s Sam Lunnon saw yellow before the break and Worthing replied to make it 21-7.

Griffiths (2) and Dave Manning crossed in the second half for Hawks, Bolster adding the extras, to increase their lead to 35 points.

Worthing scored two tries in the last ten minutes, but Henley had already secured victory.

Chinnor conceded three tries in the last ten minutes to suffer a 22-3 defeat at leaders Old Elthamians in National League 1.

The visitors made a strong start and took a 3-0 lead thanks to Craig Holland’s penalty.

Chinnor continued to press and the hosts had Kieran Moffat sin-binned, but Holland pushed another penalty wide.

James Golledge was also yellow-carded for Old Elthamians as the visitors led 3-0 at half-time.

But the hosts scored their first try on 45 minutes when Golledge crossed to make it 5-3.

Alex Rogers was also sin-binned for Old Elthamians, but they rallied to secure victory.

George Perkins, Dom Lespierre and Golledge crossed in the 70th, 76th and 78th minutes respectively, Tom White converting once, to put the hosts out of sight.