STOURBRIDGE RFC secured their first win of 2012 after edging out their visitors in this thrilling Stourton Park tussle.

A brilliant first half display saw them open up an 18-3 interval lead before the Tigers cut loose after the break, closing to within four points at the end.

Alistair Bressington kicked an eighth minute penalty for Saxons before livewire scrum-half Peter White darted to within five metres of the line after taking a tap penalty.

Matt Riley dragged a penalty wide for the visitors and the Saxons continued to turn the screw when they bagged their first try on 24 minutes. A powerful run by the inspirational Ben Barkley almost broke the line but instead it was fly-half Chris Reakes who muscled over.

Riley reduced the arrears with a penalty four minutes later but Park then had second row Louis McGowan yellow carded and Bressington slotted over the resulting penalty.

A man up, the Saxons were even more dominant and when a wayward Tigers pass landed in the arms of Adam Sturdy, they broke for their second try. Back row pair Alex Rovira and Joe Garner were instrumental, Nathan Bressington was stopped just short but hooker Jordan Page finished things off as he plunged over.

Ali Bressington’s conversion opened up a 15-point interval lead and that should have been the platform on which to ease to the points.

But the visitors had other ideas and they were back in contention within 40 seconds of the restart when flying winger Jamie Harrison broke from halfway before cutting inside to score beneath the posts.

That was set the agenda for a thrilling second half with each side bidding to outdo the other.

Another brilliant break from Barkley led to a third Saxons try, fellow centre Tom Jarvis scampering the final few metres to the line.

McGowan gained his revenge for the earlier yellow card by powering over for the visitors before another White break allowed Ali Bressington to finish things off with a bonus Stourbridge try on 64 minutes.

Back came the visitors when replacement prop Dan Birchall muscled over five minutes later to edge to within eight points.

Ali Bressington slotted over a penalty four minutes from the end to take his personal tally to 18 points but there were further turns to come as flanker David Livesey went through for a fourth Sedgley Park try.

Riley’s conversion closed the gap to four points and the sin-binning of Saxons second row Nile Dacres just added to the drama. But Neil Mitchell’s men were not to be denied as they preserved their National One status – for another week at least.

Saxons: Baker, N Bressington, Jarvis, Barkley (Williams 57), A Bressington, Reakes, White (Richardson 77); Sturdy (Lawrence 46), Page (Wordley 73), Furness, Hurrell, Dacres, Garner, Rovira, Harper (Hall 77).

Sedgley Park: G Smith, Owens, Wainwright, Riley, Harrison, Wilkinson (Leader 79), Urmston (Runciman 57); Black (Birchall 46), Wright (Woods 68), Flynn, Lewis, McGowan, Thornley (M Smith 79), Livesey, Crous.