WORCESTER Wanderers visited Walsall for a Midlands One West rugby game and came home with a hard-fought but well deserved 26-19 victory.

The tradition in recent seasons has been for close, physical encounters played in great spirit between the sides and this game was no exception.

The early exchanges were tense with both teams probing for an opening.

Penalties were exchanged before Walsall scored a well-constructed try with their decoy runners confusing the Wanderers’ defence before they scored a converted try in the corner.

Worcester struck back quickly with a second Ollie Meadows penalty.

The Wanderers forwards were beginning to show a modicum of control and a powerful driving maul took them into the Walsall 22. Debutant Dan Stokes and Greg Fincher, the half-back partnership, were marshalling the Wanderers forwards and strong carries by the returning Jon Dawson, Russ Marsland and Jake Saddington severely stretched the Walsall defence.

Worcester got their reward when Jake Saddington burst into space and demonstrated good strength and footwork he opened the Wanderers try account with Ollie Meadows converting.

Walsall were now put under further pressure as centres Meadows and Tom Dodge carried the ball into the heart of their midfield and a great surge took the Wanderers into the Walsall ‘22’ and Saddington struck again to score. Meadows converted to give Worcester a four-point lead at the interval.

The second-half began with Wanderers exerting further pressure on Walsall. Th visitors’ scrum was edging the set- piece and a series of set-scrums five metres from the Walsall line seemed likely to produce a Wanderers’ try. Walsall’s defence held out however.

Meadows converted three more penalties to two from Walsall to seal Worcester’s points