Liverpool St Helens 16 Stourbridge 48

A WEAKENED LSH side put up a spirited effort against a full-strength Stourbridge outfit whose clinical win almost guarantees them the title.

The game was evenly-fought for the first 20 minutes with LSH scoring two penalties by Mike Jones and the visitors replying with a try and a penalty.

But from then on Stourbridge gradually took control and two further penalties by Tim Smith and a try by Brett Scriven gave them a 19-6 interval lead.

Jones kicked another penalty for LSH on the restart but Stourbridge replied with tries by Fenley, Bradley, Taylor and Smith, with the latter adding three conversions and a penalty.

The difference between the sides was clearly illustrated just after half-time when the two young LSH props Phil Hewitt and Ifan Howell went off injured leading to uncontested scrums for the remainder of the match. In contrast, Stourbridge had flown skipper and prop-forward Simon Bayley back from a family holiday in Lazarote just for the game!

For LSH, Sean Casey did well in the unfamiliar position of stand-off and Steve Cook never stopped trying, while the consistent Chris Walker battled to the end and was rewarded just before the final whistle when he sent winger Fraser Harris in for a try.

Reflecting on his first season as a RU coach, Eric Hughes said: "To compete with the top clubs we probably need four or five new players. However, the current squad have worked hard and everyone at LSH deserves the success of this season."