BROMSGROVE RFC First XV made it three wins from four Midlands Two (West) games with a 20-8 victory at Aston Old Edwardians.

The Finstall Park side were far from on top form last Saturday, trailing 8-3 at one stage despite having the slope and wind in their favour, but did enough to win.

Coach Dean Ball said: "We gave the opposition as much hope as they wanted and until we were staring down the barrel a bit we didn't begin to play.

"The first half was very poor from our point of view, nobody really seemed to get to grips with the game. We started to perform in the second half and I thought the character was outstanding."

And the coach believes his team are some way from being the finished article.

"At the minute we are not quite there," Ball said. "For such a talented bunch of players they seem to lack confidence, everybody seems to be looking to somebody else to spark them into action."

Played in driving rain, Bromsgrove used the wind early to their advantage, culminating in a penalty from James Lloyd-Jones.

But, completely against the run of play, Aston answered with a penalty of their own. Then, with a flowing move, the hosts scored their only try of the game to lead 8-3.

Following a scrappy spell, a backs move orchestrated by Danny Malin and Lee Wainwright saw Lloyd-Jones crash over for a try duly converted for a two-point interval lead.

A poor cross field kick from Aston fly half in he second half was superbly taken by Richard Newman and he won the race to the line. Lloyd-Jones converted for 17-8. The visitors finished the stronger as Lloyd-Jones slotted another three points and Aston were reduced to 14 men.

BROMSGROVE

Cornellius, Hurcombe, Brighton, Young, Bradley, Arnold, CLARK*, Taylor, Marshall, Malin, Trigg, Wainwright, Wilkinson, Newman, Lloyd-Jones.