Ludlow 20 pts Uttoxeter 0

LUDLOW kept in touch with the top two teams in Midlands Four West (North) and chalk-ed up their seventh win of the season when they beat bottom club Uttoxeter at The Linney.

Fly-half Mark Williams gave them an early boost when he converted a penalty after the visiting forwards had been adjudged to have killed the ball.

They kept up the pressure and went further ahead when centre Andrew Perkins charged down an attempted clearance and gathered the ball to chip over the Uttoxeter full-back and win the race for a try. Williams obliged with the conversion.

Ludlow were making the running and the home forwards supplied their lively backs with plenty of good ball. The opposing backs were under pressure and strayed off-side, Williams again punishing them by landing his second penalty kick.

With half-time looming Ludlow went further ahead when number eight Dave Evans picked up from the back of a five-metre scrum, and with support from his flankers, drove over for try number two. The ever-reliable Williams added the extra points.

Uttoxeter resorted to a spoiling game after the break in an attempt to slow the game down. The referee was aware of this and at one time the visitors were reduced to 13 men when two of their team were yellow carded for persistent offending. In spite of their numerical superiority and domination of play Ludlow could not turn possession into points.

The general play in the second half was disappointing but Ludlow coach Phil Norton summed it up by saying: "It was not a great performance but it was a valuable two points ."