Merton recorded their fourth win on the spin in Surrey Division Four with an impressive 26-3 mauling of third-placed Woking.

Rob Bell, Jason Newell, Laurence Griffiths and Neil Quinn, with three Nick Bentley conversions, brought Merton within a point of Woking in the table.

The Morden Rec outfit went into the match after having to make two late changes due to illness, a hasty reshuffle seeing skipper Edgar Barros move up to lock from the back row.

More importantly, Merton welcomed back last season's player of the year, Daniel Ward, who has been back home in Ireland since Christmas. 

Ward slipped into one of the flanker berths, where he joined Jason Newell, who had moved there from the back division.

The hosts began the match in excellent form, pinning the visitors back in their own half, but being unable to open their account. 

It was from an isolated foray into home territory that Woking earned a penalty chance, which was struck between the sticks to record the first points of the afternoon. 

Undeterred, Merton resumed their attacks, delighting the touchline spectators with some fantastic passing inter-play that made them huge amounts of territory.

The home side were pressing for a score when Will Rist went over on his ankle in obvious pain, the free-scoring centre was helped from the field and denied the opportunity of adding to his tally of three tries in two matches. 

Despite this setback, Merton continued to hold field position, and it came as no surprise when fullback Bell came charging into the line to cross for his fourth try of the season and put his side in front. 

It did not take them long to extend their advantage, a catch by Neil Quinn at a line-out seeing the forwards drive in for Newell to be carried across the whitewash for a deserved score, which Bentley converted. 

With their tails up, Merton continued to dominate, the third try coming from a most unlikely source, a break in midfield by Glenn Williamson seeing prop Griffiths appear at his shoulder to round the fullback and plunge over the line - again, Bentley stroked the conversion with ease.

Leading 19-3 at the break, the hosts were determined not to let their opponents back into the match in the crucial first 10 minutes of the half. 

They managed to do even better than that, working their way into the Woking 22 where the ball was shipped quickly to the right, where leading try scorer Quinn was lurking.

The number eight smashed his way through the last line of defence, close enough to the sticks for Bentley to again add the extras.

Merton were not content to rest on their laurels, and proceeded to press for further scores, and replacement Rob Pile went close after more good work by the three-quarter line.

It was only in the final 10 minutes that Woking even came close to scoring, but superb defence by all the home side meant that they ended the match with only a solitary penalty to their name.

Merton, coming away not only with a win but also with yet another vital bonus point, are on the fringes of the promotion battle.