Dudley Kingswinford win thriller
Dudley Kingswinford held off a second half fightback to win a top-of-the-table thriller at Bromsgrove and climb back to the summit of Regional One Midlands.
The visitors appeared to be cruising to victory when the led 22-6 at the break, courtesy of first half tries from Stefan Shillingford, Joe Heatley and Thomas Walker.
But their hosts, who toppped the standings at the start of the day, hit back with two scores early in the second half through Robert Green and Callum Megram to cut the deficit to just two points with more than a quarter of the match still to play.
With momentum seemingly against them, Walker got what proved to be the winning score when he crossed for DK’s bonus point try with 13 minutes remaining.
Yet the drama was far from finished as Tom Sadler forced his way over for the hosts with three minutes on the clock, with Jake Attwell then missing the conversion which would have tied the scores as the visitors held on for victory.
DK now hold a three-point advantage over Bromsgrove at the top, with two matches in hand. Lichfield remain bottom of the standings after a 41-12 defeat away at third-placed Bridgnorth.
Walsall made it four wins on the spin in Regional Two as they emerged from a bruising derby at Wolverhampton with a 23-6 win.
The visitors lost forward Pete Fitzgerald early to injury before Ben Pitt kicked the first points of the game.
A Dean Ainger try then opened up a little breathing room but two James Needham penalties meant Walsall led by only five points heading into the final 10 minutes, before tries from Ainger and Adam Tamilio eventually saw them grasp control.
Walsall remain second in the table, though the failure to score a bonus point means the gap to Old Halesonians is now six points after the leaders won 39-15 at Droitwich.
Stafford lost ground in the Counties One Midlands West (North) title race as they were beaten 49-21 at Edwardians.
An even start saw the hosts take the most of their opportunities and though Callum Hoy and Oliver Platt both went over for the visitors in the first half, it was Edwardians who led 23-14 at the break, Stafford’s cause not helped by an injury to forward Liam Bayliss.
They needed a quick start to the second period but it was the home side who extended their lead before Stuart Lewis got Stafford’s third of the afternoon. A bonus point try, which would have provided some consolation, also proved elusive as Edwardians finished strong.
Stourbridge Lions remain one spot off the bottom of the division after losing a close encounter at Telford Hornets 11-10.
Burntwood are still the team to catch in Counties Two after a 97-12 bludgeoning of Bridgnorth seconds maintained their two point lead at the top. Aldridge remain rooted to the opposite end of the table following a 53-20 home loss to Market Drayton.
Rugeley missed the chance to close the gap on Counties Three leaders Willenhall as they were beaten 19-17 at home by Cannock. It was also a rough day for Wednesbury, beaten 44-27 at Luctonian seconds, while Warley lost 79-0 at Aston Old Edwardians.
Bloxwich, meanwhile, took the spoils in a hard-fought Counties Four derby with Essington, winning 19-13.
Further up the pyramid, Stourbridge’s miserable season continued as they lost 52-28 at home to Hinckley.
The match wasn’t even as close as the score suggests, with the hosts scoring three tries in the final quarter having at one point trailed 47-7. Converted scores for Michael Heaney, Oliver Gittoes and Thomas Lucas did at least secure a bonus point, yet Stour remain rooted to the bottom of National Two West.
