Bromsgrove 18, Old Northamptonians 25

BROMSGROVE were brought down to Earth with a bump as they slipped to a home defeat by Old Northamptonians.

Just a week after a stirring last-gasp win over in-form Old Halesonians last week, they were shot down by a late touch down.

Going into the game, the Boars had a record of seven wins and two defeats and the visitors had just two victories and seven losses.

But Northamptonians had only lost narrowly and they proved to be more than a match for the Finstall Park outfit in a tight affair.

The visitors started the stronger and had an opportunity to take an early lead on two minutes but fly half Alex Rose missed the penalty.

It was a fairly evenly fought contest once the game settled but it was Northamptonians who drew first blood when scrum half Lewis Barker scored near to the posts and Rose converted.

Bromsgrove responded immediately when Tom Hardwick drove the ball forward to force a penalty, which Richard Mahoney converted.

The hosts were asserting their authority and Greg Campion touched down but Mahoney missed the extras.

The away side responded with gusto and winger Mike Bellamy scored near the corner.

Northamptonians saw a player sin-binned but Town failed to take any advantage of the extra man They took the lead just before half-time against the run of play, when a powerful surge from skipper Phil Horton from well inside his own half saw Ed Spalding in support to take the pass and score by the posts.

Mahoney converted to edge Bromsgrove 18-15 ahead.

But it was the away side who edged a tight second period, as they spent most of the half battering the Town line.

Bromsgrove defended well and it took 20 minutes before Northamptonians broke the deadlock with a try by captain Alex Crofts, which was converted by Rose.

Another Rose penalty followed shortly and while Town did manage to break out of their own half a couple of times late on but poor decision making saw the opportunities go begging.

In truth it would have been tough on the visitors to have had a deserved win stolen from them.

Bromsgrove take on Peterborough Lions away on Saturday (2.15p ko).