For the hosts, defeat brought an end to a remarkable run of league wins at the Athletic Ground, stretching back almost two years to 21 February 2008, when they lost to Mounts Bay 18-35. Scottish remain second in the table, three points ahead of Launceston, who have played one game more.

Volunteers armed with snow shovels had been busy clearing the pitch prior to the weekend to ensure that the game could go ahead, and a bumper crowd turned out to watch what was always going to be a crucial match for both sides.

It was Esher who seized the early initiative however, scoring the game’s oening try after just three minutes when fly-half Dave Slemen picked up a deep throw from a lineout, offloading to No 8 Chris York, who went over for the score. Sam Ulph added the first of his five conversions of the afternoon to make it 7-0 to the visitors.

That early score perhaps made it easier for Esher to settle to the tension of the occasion than the hosts, and ten minutes later that pressure told as a Scottish pass went astray and was picked up by prop Joe Marler to score, Ulph’s conversion making the score 14-0.

Ulph and Scottish fly-half James Brown then traded penalties, but on 38 minutes Esher went further ahead after a kick was charged down by Slemen, whose try was again converted by Ulph.

Before the interval, Scottish managed to register their first try of the match, after an attack in which the ball was first swung out to the right, then the left, full back Frankie Neale slotting into the move and when he was held up just short of the line, passing to Alex Karonias to touch down and make the half-time score 24-8 to the visitors.

If that try gave Scottish fans a glimmer of hope of rescuing the game, that was extinguished ten minutes into the second half when Marler ran half the length of the pitch for his second try, also sealing the bonus point, and Ulph’s conversion stretching the lead to 31-8.

Four minutes later, Scottish reduced the deficit when winger David Howells ran on to a kick over the Esher defence, with Brown kicking the conversion, but those proved to be the hosts’ final points of the afternoon.

As the game neared its conclusion, the visitors rounded off their emphatic victory with a fifth try, centre Ross Chisholm finishing off a flowing move from the Esher backs, and Ulph making it five out of five conversions to leave the final score 38-15.

The defeat brings an end to Scottish’s 11-match unbeaten run, which has been recognised with four members of the side –Neale, Howells, Brown and prop Matt Johnson – receiving call-ups to the 30-man England Counties squad for the forthcoming spring internationals against the Ireland Club XV and France Amateurs.

Next week, Scottish travel to Nuneaton, who yesterday lost 34-3 to Redruth.