Stourbridge slip up as they lose ground on the leaders
Stourbridge stuttered with their second loss of the season as they failed to make ground at the top of the National League Two North.
Having lost their first game of the season in early December but recovering the week after with a victory, Stourbridge have now dropped points again with a 24-19 loss away to 12th-placed Luctonians.
The hosts got off to a good start within eight minutes with a converted try, before Stourbridge fought back with a try from Jack Lea and a conversion from Michael Heaney.
Luctonians rallied again with another converted try before half-time. Following the break, however, both teams were reduced to 13 men as red and yellow cards were produced for foul play.
Samuel Jones was sent off for Luctonians, while Matthew Perks was given his marching orders for Stourbridge. Charlie Grimes for the hosts and Stefan Thorp for the visitors were also sin-binned.
Only three minutes later, try-scorer Lea was then handed a yellow card himself, meaning Stourbridge lost another man for 10 minutes – and the hosts took advantage with a penalty try.
Mark Harrison secured a try for Stourbridge, converted by Heaney, before Luctonians snatched a late penalty.
In the final minute the returning Lea crashed over the line again but the conversion was missed by Heaney and Stourbridge fell to defeat.
Third-placed Stour are now three points behind leaders Hull and two shy off Sedgley Park in second.
In the Midlands Premier, a first-half points flurry from Dudley Kingswinford earned them a 21-7 win over Paviors.
Three converted tries from the 11th minute to the 27th did the trick, as Benjamin Rhodes, Jake Thompson and Daniel Marsh crossed the line – with all three converted by Samuel Vaughan.
The visitors had one converted try of their own just after half-time but could not mount a comeback and a late yellow card for Dudley’s Scott Lovell, with only two minutes remaining, did not hand Paviors an opportunity to fight back.
In Midlands One West, Lichfield remain top after a hard-fought 47-19 win over Whitchurch.
Their game was one of only three to take place in the league over the weekend as Old Halesonians and Wolverhampton did not feature.
In the Midlands Two West (North), Walsall finished the year top after a 45-10 away win at Newcastle (Staffs).
After a strong start, Dean Ainger added the first try, with Ben Pitt adding the conversion, before George Perkins dived over the line to add another try. Walsall continued to push and Ainger added another, which Pitt again converted, before the hosts fought back with a try of their own.
But a flowing attacking move from Walsall saw Max Brown break through for the final score of the first half.
The visitors did not come out with the same attacking intent in the second half and made several errors and poor decisions, resulting in missed scoring opportunities.
But the Walsall forwards continued to dominate and Perkins was able to cross the line for the first score of the second half, with Pitt again converting. Speedy winger Zak Edwards later added another after a 35-metre sprint, which was converted by Mitch Carless.
The hosts pulled back one try of their own before Walsall had the final say as Pitt crossed the line and converted his own try.
However, Stourbridge Lions continue to struggle in second-bottom, after a 46-14 loss at home to Longton.
In the Midlands Two West (South), mid-table Kidderminster fell to a comprehensive 42-5 defeat away at high-flying Nuneaton Old Edwardians, while in the Midlands Three West (North) there were no games for local sides as Aldridge, Burntwood, Eccleshall and Handsworth did not play.
In the Midlands Four West (North), Rugeley fell further behind in the race at the top after a 15-8 defeat to Market Drayton. The winners are now only a point behind third-placed Rugeley, with two games in hand, as Rugeley failed to make ground on the leading pack.
In the only other game in the league, second-placed Barton-Under-Needwood beat Willenhall 27-18.
In the Midlands Five West (South), Stourport are keeping up the pressure at the top of the table after a 20-5 win over Five Ways Old Edwardians. Cannock were unfortunate to lose 13-12 to Greyhound, while Bloxwich lost 7-5 to Keresley and St Leonards lost 35-24 to leaders Birmingham & Solihull.
