Stourbridge Saxons beaten up north

Wharfedale 33 Stourbridge 23

Mistakes in the closing stages cost Stourbridge dear as they went down after a late flurry of points at Wharfedale and returned from North Yorkshire empty handed.

Replacement scrum-half Thomas Richardson was yellow carded with only two minutes left on the clock for his part in the killing of the ball, after Wharfedale's Thomas Davidson was stopped a metre short and the melee that followed.

Then in the last play of the game it was Davidson that pounced on a charge down to put centre Andrew Hodgson over for a try that denied the visitors even the consolation of a losing bonus point.

It was heartbreak for Stourbridge who had led with 10 minutes left to play, after Charles Hayter and Thomas Jarvis had combined to create a wonderful try.

Jarvis collected Hayter's delicate grubber kick and returned the ball for a score that would have been worthy of winning any game.

Then Saxons' skipper Ben Hughes was caught with his hands in the ruck and that gave Davidson the chance to even the scores and set up his side's finale.

The first-half had been largely a mater of tit-for-tat with honours even, after Davidson and Alistair Bressington had swapped two penalties each and the sides had each touched down once.

Matthew Thomas got Stourbridge's first try after a planned move from a lineout put Hayter clear and offloaded to flanker James Rodley who found the Number Eight in support.

Wharfedale were somewhat lucky to draw level once again, but when Davidson's drop goal attempt crept under the bar its wicked bounce deceived James Hearn and Number Eight Robert Baldwin pounced to make it 13-13 at half-time.

The home side's final score came through wing Simon Horsfall who finished off after some neat hands involving Baldwin and Iain Dixon.