Stourbridge 12 Newbury 26
Stourbridge have done themselves few favours at home (11 defeats in 15 league and cup matches), have done even fewer lately for Nuneaton, with several losses to other relegation contenders, and none to Moseley by completing double victories over them and extinguishing their lingering promotion hopes.
This loss to Newbury left the visitors celebrating in joyous, exhibition fashion - a male streaker roamed the pitch at the end - and joining champions Doncaster in National One next season. Yet nothing looked less likely at half-time.
For most of the first period Stourbridge, ascendant in territory and possession, were errorstrewn. Newbury were swift to counter through fast backs but also prone to mistakes, so there was deadlock for 35 minutes.
Whereupon a break by Stourbridge centre Cameron Mitchell set up position for a penalty try awarded for deliberate off-side.
Captain Duncan Hughes converted but had missed one penalty and failed to convert his own try five minutes later.
That followed fine running from deep by fullback Craig Jones and Mitchell, then fly-half Hughes, from ten yards out, breaking one tackle, pirouetting out of another and twisting over from a third for a 12-0 lead.
Soon after the interval, two high Stourbridge challenges in as many minutes produced penalties, goaled by Newbury's Australian fly-half Dave Harvey, a southpaw and absolute lookalike for his grandfather, legendary batsman Neil.
Impeccable with his place-kicking, he added a third penalty and covnverted both tries scored by Fijian flanker Sione Tuamoheloa, as well as landing one dropped goal from two attempts.
The first try was grounded in a tapped penalty drive from five yards while Stourbridge director of rugby and lock Neil Mitchell was in the sin-bin for trampling.
The second came after Newbury drove a line-out 20 yards to the line. Thus Newbury led 26-12 by 69 minutes and so it remained.
