WORCESTER Wanderers claimed a 30-22 bonus-point victory against a tenacious Stratford side, who also took a point from the clash courtesy of a hat-trick from their powerful second row.

The Midlands One West game was a scrappy encounter littered with errors, but both sides tried to play open rugby and entertain the crowd basking in the sunshine.

Wanderers were quickly out of the blocks and were awarded an early penalty.

Greg Fincher stepped up and slotted what seemed to be a good kick, but the touch judges were blinded by the sun and controversially the points weren’t awarded.

However, Wanderers were not to be denied when a sweeping move saw the ball sent left then right to put Ross Coombes in space and he duly obliged with a well-taken try. Fincher missed the conversion.

A Fincher penalty and a converted Rob Southwood try from a catch-and-drive move were punctuated by two close-range scores, one of which was converted, from Stratford.

This left Wanderers with a three-point advantage at half-time.

The second-half provided more of the same as a well-executed move allowed Chris Jenkinson to glide through the Stratford defence and score under the posts, with Fincher converting.

A second converted try from Southwood and a Fincher penalty interspersed by two Stratford tries, one converted, secured a hard-earned Wanderers victory.