Esher 37 Stourbridge 22
Stourbridge, though bolstered in the battle against the drop by the announcement that there will be only one relegation place this season, gained only a try-scoring bonus point against promotion contenders Esher while bottom club Orrell won.
Despite cold and windy conditions, this was a highly entertaining contest full of fast handling and Stourbridge scored four of the afternoon's ten tries - grounded by each of their three-quarters - including the two best-constructed efforts of the match.
Stourbridge took the lead when the incursion into his line by left-winger Martin Freeman - a Worcester Academy teenager making his debut - made the overlap for right-winger Alistair Bressington to score.
Esher replied with a try by scrum-half Graham Barr at the end of a rolling maul, but Stour went 12-5 ahead as Bressington converted centre Cameron Mitchell's score from a clever inside pass by fullback Jon Hall, after they had moved the ball across the field three time.
However, it was 20-12 to Esher at half-time following a pair of tries by right winger Matt Moore - one of several ex-Premiership players in their line-up - with one conversion and a penalty from Neil Hallett.
The home side increased their lead after the interval when driving Stour-bridge off their maul ball and putting centre David MacCallum over, only for Stourbridge to respond quickly with their third try.
Fly-half Sam Robinson, another Worcester Academy teenager, put in a chip which was touched down by centre Marcus Cook, acting captain of an inexperienced team ravaged by illness and injury.
Centre Chris Yates and winger Karelle Dixon powered over for Esher's last two tries, Hallett converting once, but Stourbridge got their bonus point as Freeman marked his debut with a try in the left corner.
