Round-up: Stour hold off fightback to win thriller
Stourbridge held off a late fightback to win at Bromsgrove and stay top of Regional One Midlands.
Dan Rundle got the leaders off to the perfect start when he went over for the game’s opening try, with a Jack Teague penalty the only other score of the first half.
Stour then appeared to be in firm control when tries from Ben Freeman and Arthur Morgan early in the second half put them 22-6 ahead.
But the home side promptly hit back with two converted scores of their own to cut the deficit and leave the visitors clinging on at the finish.
Things were even more thrilling at Lichfield, where the home side hung on to beat Bridgnorth 34-33 and move up to sixth in the table.
Elsewhere, Dudley Kingswinford had a day to forget as they were thrashed 64-14 at home by Bournville. Two first half tries from Tom Walker provided the only cheer for the hosts.
Walsall are up to fifth in Regional Two North after outlasting Sutton Coldfield in an entertaining local derby.
Adam Nunney kicked the first points of the game for the home side but visitors Sutton then scored the opening try when Dean Ginn went over in the corner.
Toby Smith, Max Hughes and Max Brown all scored in the closing minutes of the first half as Walsall appeared to be taking control of proceedings.
But the visitors continued to rack up points of their own and Walsall were dependent on the boot of captain Nunney to stay ahead.
Matt Smith brought Sutton back within striking distance, before a strong drive from a line-out saw Callum Martin go over for what proved the home side’s final try of the afternoon.
Nunney kicked what proved to be a crucial 35-yard penalty before a late try for Sutton’s Ben Mortimer brought the score back to 34-31. That was how it stayed as Walsall held on.
Old Halesonians continue to find the going tough in Regional Two West after tumbling to a 57-19 defeat at home to Shipston on Stour.
Burntwood advanced to the next round of the Counties One Championship with a 49-21 win over Veseyans.
But there was disappointment for Kidderminster, who were knocked out of the Counties One Plate at the second round stage with a 36-12 defeat to Aston Old Edwardians.
Warley were beaten 49-30 at Tenbury in round two of the Counties Three Central Plate.
