Cambridge 23, Stourbridge Saxons 27

Stourbridge secured an impressive victory at title hopefuls Cambridge, overhauling a 15-3 deficit to grab the win.

Tries from Tom Jarvis, Tom Richardson and Cameron Brown paved the way with Ali Bressington kicking 12 points.

It was the Saxons winger who opened the scoring with a third minute penalty only for Ben Spencer to reply for the home side moments later.

The remainder of the opening period belonged to Cambridge and a brace of tries took them clear at the break.

South African winger Jaco du Toit bagged the opener on 20 minutes. The Cambridge pack drove to within 20 metres of the Saxons line before the ball was swung out to the left flank for the pace ace to cut inside and sprint to the line, Spencer kicking the extras.

Flanker Darren Fox saw red on 26 minutes, the Cambridge skipper taking a swing at one of the Stourbridge forwards in front of the touch judge on the far side of the field.

But the dismissal seemed to galvanise the home side and they deservedly stretched their lead five minutes before the break when Spencer gathered the ball from a line-out before weaving his way to the corner.

Too many errors and a lack of cohesion had marred the Saxons play in the first half but the second period began in the best way possible with Richardson sprinting away from a scrum before the ball was worked to James Rodley and finally to Jarvis who dived in, Bressington kicking the conversion.

Spencer and Bressington traded penalties before Cambridge prop Mark George dived in to hand the home side a ten-point lead.

But the final quarter saw the Saxons up their game and two tries in five frenetic minutes put them in control.

The first came in the wake of a huge hit on home centre Alex Dodge by Rupert Cooper. The ball went loose and was gathered by Richardson who darted between the posts. Moments later it was fly-half Brown who crossed the line wide on the right, Bressington putting over the kicks.

Richardson then capped his starring role with a last minute try-saving tackle on replacement Will Martin who looked destined for the line after sweeping past two tackles to show off his searing pace.

A late yellow card for Charlie Hayter did little to dampen Stourbridge's celebrations on the final whistle, the victory maintaining their top five place ahead of the Boxing Day clash with Coventry.

Cambridge: Robinson, du Toit, Dodge, White, Ayrton, Wheatcroft, Spencer; George, Pearl, Cooper, Ascroft-Leigh, Hurrell, McComb, Fox, Ingles. Reps: Hunter, Cooper, Mayhew, Hughes, Martin.

Stourbridge: Hearn, Bressington, Jarvis, Hayter, Williams, Brown, Richardson; Baker, Wordley, Pickard, Hughes, Betts, Cooper, Rodley, Thomas. Reps: Dipple, Sparks, Page, Davis, Delport.

Stourbridge Star Man: Tommy Richardson

By David Lawrence (Write Angle Media)