Stourbridge 3, Leicester Lions 10

LIONS may well have delivered a lethal blow to Stourbridge's promotion prospects this season with this latest defeat, writes Nick Pullen.

Following the previous week's setback at Preston Grasshoppers, Stourbridge Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell admitted there was no more margin for error.

But Stour were gradually ground down by Lions in what proved a war of attrition at times.

Stour started like a house on fire and pinned Lions back close to their line for the opening 10 minutes.

It looked as though their early pressure had paid off when scrum half Toby Handley took a quick tap penalty which caught Lions napping as he wrestled his way over the line.

At first, referee Neil Chivers awarded the try - but then after consultation with his tough judge - reversed the decision claiming the tap penalty had been taken from the wrong place.

Lions were then reduced to 14 players on nine minutes when they had flanker Drew Rudkin sent to the sin bin following a dangerous tackle on Stour full back Tom Mitchell.

But despite their superior numbers, Stour couldn't breakthrough a dogged Lions defence.

Having weathered the early storm, it was Stour who were pushed back on the defensive.

Lions could point to some ill luck themselves when their right wing Sam Benjamin ran virtually the length of the pitch and passed inside to centre Luke Veebel, who somehow managed to knock on with the line at his mercy.

A scoreless first half resulted as both sides slugged it out.

But the second half was a different story as Lions took charge.

They opened the scoring within 90 seconds of resumption, fly half Jonathan Williams making the decisive break before sending Benjamin over in the corner to score.

A second try soon followed on 48 minutes when Stour centre Joe Heatley got caught in possession when islolated , enabling Lions to win turnover ball from which replacement forward William Roach gathered and stampeded over to score.

The 10-0 margin should have been greater but both fly half Williams and inside centre Jon Boden proved hopelessly out of touch with the kicking duties.

Stour tried to repair the damage but were guilty of knocking on themselves when close to the line having shunted Lions backwards in the scrum on 56 minutes.

Stour's only reward was a solitary bonus point after Mitchell kicked a 68th minute penalty to complete the scoring.

The result leaves league leaders Macclesfield running away with the title as they are now 15 points clear of Stour with two games in hand.

Stour's prospects of obtaining the play-off place also look remote to say the least.

Although they are still level pegging on points in second spot with Sedgley Park, their rivals have the luxury of three games in hand.

Stourbridge: Mitchell; Elvers, Heatley, Otutaha, Trinham; Petty, Handley; Thorp, Harding, George; Depper, Hurrell; Mukarati, Carpenter, Nicholls. Replacements: Sturdy, Roddy, Wilkes, Scott, Ridley.