Second place – but frustrated Lichfield claim moral victory

The top-of-the-table clash was postponed several times due to the weather, and despite Lichfield’s best efforts to get the game on, the two teams could not come to an agreement on a rearranged date.

This meant the league were forced to settle the game as null-and-void, crowning Long Eaton champions by a margin of six points over a frustrated Lichfield.

Ahead of this weekend’s Community Cup meeting between the two sides, which is set to go ahead, Lichfield chairman Paul Massey admitted he hopes his team can “claim a moral victory” over the side who took the league title from them in controversial fashion.

Lichfield had secured second place with a convincing 50-14 win over Matlock on Saturday.

Long Eaton travelled to Wolverhampton and picked up a tight 31-28 victory to send the hosts down into the Counties Leagues.

And Walsall finished their league campaign in underwhelming fashion with a 31-22 defeat at home to Melbourne, ending the season in seventh place.

Neil Holden, Lucas Cotterell, Ben Pitt and Hansen Christoffersen all netted tries for the hosts, with Pitt adding one conversion.

In Regional One Midlands, Stourbridge ended the season in style with a 64-19 win at Broadstreet to secure a second-placed finish.

Old Halesonians were beaten 34-28 by Burton, and still have a trip to Bromsgrove to complete their disappointing season.

Stafford ended the Counties One Midlands West (North) season in style thanks to a 32-31 win against Shrewsbury.

George Tildesley scored a hat-trick for Kidderminster in their 52-31 home win over Longton. Christopher Pinner (two), Rowan Dickinson, Henry Humphrey and Thomas Dalton also crossed the try line for the hosts.

Elsewhere in the division, fourth-placed Burntwood lost 28-17 at Telford Hornets.

In Counties Two West (West), Handsworth’s relegation was confirmed despite their 19-7 win at Oswestry thanks to tries from Terry Clarke, Joshua Ruddell and Christopher Bell. Bridgnorth Bull’s 26-17 win at Clee Hill kept them above the drop zone on points difference.

Stourbridge Lions thrashed Rugeley 83-0, while Willenhall ended the campaign with a 26-12 win against Bromyard.

And in Counties Two West (East), Walsall II won 21-10 at bottom-of-the-league Uttoxeter.

In Counties Three West (North), Midlands mediocrity was confirmed as Eccleshall, Cannock, Stone and Aldridge confirmed finishes of seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.

Eccleshall were thrashed 61-14 by Leek II, while Cannock lost 33-12 at Shrewsbury II. Stone suffered a crushing 85-0 home defeat to Aston Old Edwardians, and Aldridge conceded a walkover defeat to Trentham.

A similar pattern can be found in Counties Four West (North), as Bloxwich, Wednesbury, Essington, Burntwood II and St Leonards finished directly behind each other.

Bloxwich were best placed in fourth despite losing 43-19 at Whittington on the final day. Wednesbury’s 36-22 defeat to Burton kept them in fifth, just ahead of Essington who confirmed sixth place with their 38-26 win at Erdington.

And Burntwood II leap-frogged St Leonards into seventh place thanks to their 27-8 win in the all-Midlands clash.

Finally in Counties Four West (South), Warley beat Birmingham Exiles 45-37, Stourport lost 26-22 to Five Ways Old Edwardians and Old Halesonians II were beaten 50-22 at Keresley.