WITH 21 games of hard work behind them, Bromgrove's season came down to 80 minutes at Old Laurentians.

In this match the winner really would take all, namely the championship and a place in Midlands One next season.

And at the end of the contest Bromsgrove had prevailed 23-15 to claim a place in history as the first Bromsgrove side to play at Midlands One level.

The atmosphere was electric with drums banging and horns blowing as Old Laurentians, the favourites, and Bromsgrove emerged to do battle.

RFU panel referee Lloyd Jackson took charge of the game, such was its importance, and had a busy afternoon with his knowledge exercised to the full as Laurentians' hooker was sin binned inside five minutes.

After a fiery and tempestuous opening ten minutes, during which, Bromsgrove's normally clinical line-out routine was severely disrupted, the game became more controlled.

Locks Ian Young and Tom Churchill were in commanding form, frequently winning the home side's ball.

It was 20 minutes before the stalemate was broken and it took a bit of special Matt Birch magic to do it.

He cut through the defensive wall with an unexpected change of tactics, a change of pace and a neat side step to score in the corner.

Mark Palmer, the Old Laurentians fly half, found the mark ten minutes later with a well struck penalty goal to reduce the gap to a slender two points.

But Old Laurentians' defence is miserly, having conceded an average of just six points a game all season, and so it proved as Bromsgrove had just a 5-3 half time lead.

The second half will live long in the memories of all Bromsgrove players and supporters for its high drama.

Matt Birch eased Bromsgrove's anxieties with an early penalty goal but the home side were steadily becoming more threatening.

The threat became reality ten minutes into the half when winger and captain Ian Wallace who outstripped the defensive cover to score a try close converted by Palmer for a 10-8 lead.

Both defences remained dominant until David Wilkinson drove a way through the first line of defence, chipped over the oncoming cover and touched down under the posts for a try converted by Matt Birch.

Bromsgrove had recaptured the lead but at 15-10 it was far from comfortable.

The decisive moment came ten minutes from time when, after a period of end to end play, Matt Birch received the ball from his scrum half and landed a huge 40-metre drop goal, increasing his side's lead to eight points.

The hosts were quick to respond, throwing everything into attack and running the ball at every opportunity and finally Ally Cleaver ran clear to touch down in the corner for a unconverted try.

Three points now separated the sides with five minutes to go and the tension became unbearable.

Then came the most astonishing moment of the match as Mark Cornelius intercepted a pass and, from 30 metres, outpaced all pursuing defenders to score in the corner before being mobbed by his team mates.

Moments later, the final whistle brought tears and cheers of Bromsgrove's title succcess.