Rugby - Greater Birmingham 26 Shropshire 24

A 10-minute lapse at the start of the second half proved costly to Shropshire as they began rugby's RLF North Midlands Championship with a narrow defeat at Moseley, writes JAMES GARRISON

Shropshire led Greater Birmingham 17-12 at the break but the hosts produced two rapid tries at the start of the second period to turn the game on its head.

It means Shropshire - for whom Newport's James Curgenven produced a 19-point haul - must beat Worcestershire & Herefordshire in their final group match at Telford on May 17 to have any chance of progressing through to the final of the triangular tournament.

Shropshire fielded a number of Harper Adams players in a vastly changed side from the original selection and were rocked by the early loss of captain Rhuan Jones, one of the students, with a serious head wound.

Whitchurch's James Ll-oyd took over the armband and Curgenven produced the perfect start when slotted over a third minute penalty to give the visitors an early lead.

Ian Briggs crossed the line for the night's first try for Greater Birmingham, which he converted, and that started a sequence of interception tries from which Curgenven twice benefited.

The first came after Greater Birmingham tried to tidy up possession after they found themselves under pressure in a scrum and the second after Briggs fumbled in defence.

Curgenven converted both of his tries but Greater Birmingham struck an important blow on the stroke of half time when a period of sustained pressure was rewarded with a close range try from blindside Mike Holmes.

Steve Smith's try early in the second half and a Briggs conversion gave Greater Birmingham a lead that were not to surrender.

Briggs then capitalised when Shropshire lost possession when they failed to clear their lines and added the extras to stretch the lead to nine points.

Shropshire wrapped up the scoring in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Newport hooker Dan Kirby broke free for a try that Curgenven improved.

And those extra seven points might yet prove crucial if the finishing positions in the group - the top two progress to the final - is decided on points difference.

Worcestershire & Herefordshire and Greater Birmingham go head-to-head at Droitwich next Tuesday.