DEFIANT coach Will Bache watched under-pressure Cleobury Mortimer cling on to second spot in Midlands Three West (North) and insisted: "It is in our own hands.”

A defeat at Edwardians saw Cleobury surrender top spot before Saturday’s tricky-looking clash with fourth-placed Handsworth.

But Josh Phillips, Dave Shorter and Sam Bills got over the line before Shorter completed his brace with a little over 10 minutes to play, pocketing a precious 24-3 bonus-point win.

That maintained a one-point lead over third-placed Burntwood going into the final two games of the season, although Cleobury host arch-rivals and leaders Ludlow on the last day.

“Any team can beat any other on their day in this league, especially at home,” said Bache. “Saturday’s result has focused us. We needed to put in a performance and now, it is all on the Harborne game on Saturday.

“We know it is in our own hands. Burntwood have a tricky fixture at Uttoxeter so if we could get a bonus point, we might find ourselves with a real edge going into that last game with Ludlow.

“I know it is an old cliché but we are trying not to look too far ahead. Of course, it is in the back of our minds but the Ludlow match means nothing unless we go to Harborne and win.

“We know that will be tough because Ludlow lost there and they won very handsomely at Clee Hill at the weekend.

“It is difficult and all we can do is take each of the games as it comes. It all depends how the lads feel and whether the pressure gets to them.

“But the feeling in the camp is that it is down to us. If we want it, we have to show up.”

Assessing the action against Handsworth, Bache added: “We were slightly under the cosh but managed to get the fourth try at a good time.

“It was big after the loss at Edwardians threw a spanner in the works so it was good to get back on track.

“They were a very big, physical side but we got back to where we needed to be ahead of two very important games.

“We had quite a few unavailable at Edwardians but we could take nothing away from them, they absolutely battered us up front and we hardly saw any of the ball.

“On Saturday, it was simply a case of putting it right. To be honest, we hadn’t been firing on all cylinders for three or four weeks. I don’t know whether we were going through the motions or what it was, we just didn’t look that sharp.

“Thankfully, we got back close to where we need to be."

Remaining fixtures – Saturday, April 8: Harborne v Cleobury Mortimer, Ludlow v Clee Hill, Uttoxeter v Burntwood. Saturday, April 22: Cleobury Mortimer v Ludlow, Burntwood v Willenhall.

Top three: 1 Ludlow 86 pts (+674), 2 Cleobury Mortimer 81 (+293), 3 Burntwood 80 (+310).