Stourbidge Saxons take first home win

Stourbridge Saxons 23 Wharfedale 20

A penalty try a minute from time handed Stourbridge Saxons their first home win over the season.

With visitors Wharfedale also struggling near the foot of the table, it was a vital victory for Neil Mitchell's side and a win that lifted them off the basement.

The Saxons were certainly fired up at the start and were rewarded by a first minute try, Tommy Richardson diving over following a break down the right flank from Matt Williams.

Jamie Hearn, back at the club on loan from Moseley, kicked the conversion and then a penalty four minutes later, as the Dalesmen struggled to compete with the home side's whirlwind start.

But a slice of fortune handed the Yorkshire side a foothold midway through the half and it was just the help needed to hoist them back into the game.

Kicker James Druce's penalty from just outside the '22' was blown off course by the gusting Stourton wind.

It hit the upright but bounced kindly for his forwards who, three phases later, managed to send winger Scott Jordan over in the corner.

Another Hearn penalty put daylight back between the sides, but two tries in three minutes handed the visitors a half-time lead.

Jordan pounced first, winning the race with Saxons winger Nathan Bressington to dot the ball down, after impressive stand-off Luke Gray had kicked through.

Druce kicked the conversion and then popped up on the overlap to add another try in the opposite corner.

Trailing 17-13 at the break, the Saxons needed to show some of the fight and determination in evidence at the start of the game.

Second row Ben Hughes and full-back Matt Williams, together with the back row trio, epitomised the spirit and it only seemed a matter of time before the Saxons would be back in front.

But a third Hearn penalty was cancelled out by a first from Druce and a yellow card for prop Andi Lawrence looked like having dire consequences for the home side.

It looked bleak until a minute from time when a rolling maul from the Saxons took the ball to within a metre of the line before the visitors brought it crashing to the floor.

The referee awarded the penalty try and Hearn kicked the extras to wrap up a four-point win.