When scrums are uncontested from the start of a game it does not make for a great spectacle and that was the case in this dire affair.

Southwold, in effect, had to win this game with one hand tied behind their backs, as the advantage of having possibly the best pack in the league was taken away from them for the entire 80 minutes.

It was a shame to see spectators leaving before the end of the game as the cold afternoon took its toll, but it was understandable as the derby encounter became increasingly farcical as the game wore on.

The result of the match between a home side who are joint top of the league and visitors who are bottom, having lost all their games, while receiving a five-point deduction for failing to fulfil one of them, was never in doubt. Southwold were always going to win and it was merely a question of how many points they would score against their struggling neighbours.

No team playing at this level of rugby should be unable to field a front row, as was the case on Saturday for Lowestoft & Yarmouth.

In the end, Wold got 10 tries and three conversions spread evenly throughout the game, but it was hard to watch and it must have been even harder for the strong Wold side to maintain concentration or even have the will to stay on the pitch.

Tries from Zak Loader (2), Matt Howell, James Hall (2), Jobe Brookes, Callum Anthony, Sherard Block, Cemil Duruk and Jonny Walker and three conversions from Luke Wade made up the points tally.

The rules of the game are the rules of the game, but if the contest for promotion comes down to points difference at the end of the season it is games like this that become so unfair. Without a doubt Wold would have amassed at least another 30 points had the scrums not been effectively removed from the game, and those points could be the difference between promotion or missing out further down the line.

Hopefully, Saturday's result will not impact in any way on the final positions at the end of the season, with Southwold currently second behind long-term rivals Stowmarket only on points difference going into the festive break,