Louis launches Stafford to victory over rivals Walsall

Dewsbury split the uprights from 30 yards out in the eighth minute of stoppage time to earn his team a 22-20 win on a wet, windy yet thrilling afternoon at Blackberry Lane.

The defeat was a damaging one for visitors Walsall, who seven days previously had beaten Leek to move within three points of the Midlands Two West (North) leaders.

They now find themselves seven points adrift once again, having failed to take advantage of the first-half conditions when a strong wind blew in their favour.

Will Hennessey kicked an early penalty to put them on the board with Pete Fitzgerald and George Perkins both went over to give them a 13-0 lead at the break.

But the advantage looked a fragile one when taking into account the conditions and it was Stafford who quickly began to dominate in the second half.

Dewsbury converted tries from Jerry Qasanelvo and Chris Lindsey to edge the hosts in front, before James Fisher Jones went over to give them a 19-13 advantage.

Walsall never gave up and looked to have salvaged victory when Mike Lockett dotted down and the end of a big drive and Hennessey converted from a seemingly impossible angle.

But the last word fell to Dewsbury, who kept his cool to cap off the final attack of the match and snatch a win which took his team up to fourth in the standings.

That is the same position promotion-chasing Stourbridge occupy in National Two North, after battering bottom-placed Harrogate 74-17 to move back within two points of second-placed Rotherham.

Ciaran Moore was the star of the show, running in four of the home side’s 11 tries at Stourton Park. Matthew Moseley scored a hat-trick, including two tries in the final 10 minutes, with Arthur Morgan getting a brace and Jack Lea and Dan Rundle also on the mark.

Dudley Kingswinford beat Bromsgrove and the weather as they got back to winning ways in the Midlands Premier Division.

Saturday’s match at Heathbrook was at risk of being called off due to a waterlogged pitch but after kick-off was pushed back by nearly an hour, to 3pm, the surface was deemed playable.

Spectators who braved the conditions were then treated to a thrilling match which climaxed with the hosts charging down a defensive kick to score the game-clinching try in a 16-10 victory.

In Midlands One West, Old Halesonians halted a four-match losing streak by beating Droitwich 20-13 at Wassell Grove. The match was one of only three in the division to survive the weather, with Lichfield’s trip to Ludlow and Wolverhampton’s game at Stoke both postponed.

It was a similar story in Midlands Three West (North), where Aldridge’s 57-12 defeat at leaders Edwardians was one of only two matches to take place. The only game in Midlands Four West (North) saw Essington boost their survival hopes with a 30-17 win over Birmingham Exiles, just their fourth victory of the campaign.

Cannock’s promotion hopes suffered a blow as they were beaten 19-14 at home by Birmingham & Solihull in the battle of the Midlands Five West (South) top two.

The Bees now hold a seven-point advantage at the top. Elsewhere, Bloxwich beat Bishop’s Castle & Onny Valley 27-10, while Stone were edged out 23-22 at Greyhound.