Camp Hill 13 pts Ludlow 32

LUDLOW head coach Dave Irish is targeting the clash against fellow strugglers Berkswell and Balsall as a must-win game.

A relieved Irish was basking in the glory of having seen his side defeat bottom-of-the-table Camp Hill on Saturday.

He knows that harder tests lie ahead if they are to stay in Midlands One West.

“It was a much-needed win and was a particularly crucial game for us,” said Irish, whose men host high-flying Lichfield this Saturday.

“It was always going to be a tight game because Camp Hill were in the game for about 60 minutes, but then we ran in three tries and took the game away from them.

“We have got Berkswell and Balsall on December 1, so if we can beat them at home, then that will lift us out of the relegation zone whatever happens in the other matches.

“But Lichfield lost against Old Halesonians on Saturday and we beat them last season, so I am looking at that game positively.”

The only sour point on Saturday was an incident involving Ludlow’s Russell Jones, which saw a Camp Hill player red-carded.

“Russell needed a few stitches to his mouth, but was fine overall,” said Irish.

“The referee gave a penalty against us, the player then tried to get the ball off Russell and appeared to strike him.”

Darren Brick, Will Norton, Dan Rawlings, Will Green and Joe Doyle all went over the line to score tries for Ludlow, with Norton getting two conversions and a penalty.

“We had two good training sessions in the week and took the game to them,” said Irish.

“We knew they would run out steam after 60 minutes and that was the case.”