COACH Karl Newman knows Clee Hill need to successfully defend their Tenbury Road fortress if they wish to survive in Midlands Three West (North).

Newman’s men moved out of the bottom two at the expense of Willenhall, the team they beat seven days previously, with a 19-5 triumph over back-markers Eccleshall on Saturday.

Back-to-back successes on home soil have doubled Clee Hill’s win tally this term but the gloss was taken off the victory by a failure to secure a bonus point.

Tim Breakwell crossed the whitewash twice in the first half with his efforts successfully backed up by the trusty boot of Allan Shields.

Eccleshall got one back before the break and although George Edwards put daylight between the teams five minutes after the restart, the hosts could not muster a fourth.

“I don’t think we can worry about it now,” said Newman. “All it does is make it all the more important to carry on getting the results.

“It could have been more but it was nice to get the win. We wanted the bonus point and were dominant but poor finishing in the latter stages let us down. It wouldn’t run for us.

“It was a patchy game and the conditions dictated that. The ball was slippery with silly things like knock-ons hurting us when we got into promising positions.

“All credit to Eccleshall, they put up a good fight and didn’t make things easy at all, even it was a point dropped.

“The win gave us a bit of breathing space but Willenhall have a good run-in as well and still have to play Eccleshall.

“It would be bad if we lost out by that point but Willenhall still have to get a bonus point in that match and Eccleshall will be no pushovers.

“That said, I would expect Willenhall to win. We have to think that way and there is still plenty to do.

“I think we still need another two wins to be safe but we were very close to beating Ludlow and Cleobury so we should fear nobody.

“We seem to play a lot better at home and will be looking to the matches on our own patch as a chance to claim those victories.

“Handsworth and Ludlow away will both be tough. All we can do is try to take what we can from them but, at the same time, we are playing well and have every reason to feel confident no matter who we are up against.”

Props Robbie Fletcher and Connor Deignan and back George Warrington are all due to return as Clee Hill look to continue their resurgence at home to mid-table Edwardians on Saturday.

“It should be a good game,” said Newman. “On the back of recent results, we have to fancy our chances and be confident of taking something from it.”