Church Stretton Samurai cut down table-topping Trentham

A keenly-contested clash saw Samurai claim a deserved 18-17 success.

The visitors had started well and after a sustained spell of pressure they went 7-0 up through a try and conversion.

Samurai realised that the breakdown was the area of the game that would decide the result and consequently the forwards imposed themselves at every ruck with flankers Matt Addison and Tom Chard in the thick of the action.

The momentum of the game started to change with some big carries from No.8 Thomas Spinney and second row Christian Edbrooke. A score soon followed when inside centre Ed Humphries danced his way through to touch down under the posts with Chard converting.

Stand-in fly-half Finlay Hughes dominated the kicking game and one of his kicks led to a foot race between team-mates winger Mike Solomon and Olly Greenhouse with Greenhouse getting their to score to make it 12-7 to Sanurai.

The visitors reduced the deficit with a penalty before half-time but Stretton started the second half on the front foot and forced the Trentham to concede a penalty in front of the posts. Chard duly stepped up to slot home the kick to put his side 15-10 up.

A lapse in concentration from the home defence allowed the visitors to score under the posts with the conversion putting them 17-15 in front.

Edbrooke looked to have claimed a try for Samurai, when he crossed the line to touch the ball down but it was deemed a double-movement.

Trentham were defending hard but the referee spotted an infringement and Church Stretton were awarded another penalty in front of the posts.

Chard calmly slotted another three-pointer to edge the hosts in front by a point and they stood firm to clinch the win.