TENBURY’S hopes of avoiding the Midlands 4 West (North) wooden spoon are hanging by a thread with just one match left to play.

A narrow 15-12 defeat to Bishop's Castle & Onny Valley in their last home game of the season leaves them in bottom spot ahead of their final fixture at Bromyard on Saturday, April 11.

Tenbury were beaten 50-9 at home by Bromyard on the opening day of the season, but the Worcestershire outfit have faltered since the early weeks, losing seven of the last eight games, one of which was an 80-0 massacre at Cleobury Mortimer.

Tenbury are level on points with Greyhound, with both having three wins to their name but Greyhound boasting the better points difference.

The Hereford-based side finish with a home game against Market Drayton, who are just one place above them in the table.

A Huw Thomas try, converted by Henry Wilson, and a Wilson penalty had given Bishop's Castle a 10-0 interval lead but Will Gough then kicked four penalties for Tenbury as they overturned the half-time deficit to edge into a 12-10 lead.

With the wind at their backs, Tenbury then laid siege to the Bishopâs Castle line, but they were unable to find a way over as the visitors defended like demons.

Ian Bowkett, Craig Curtis and John Hitchings all did some sterling work, backed up by the threequarters, where Callum Spires impressed, and Fraser Young covered every blade of grass until injury curtailed his performance.

But against the run of play and with a numerical disadvantage after three yellow cards, Bishopâs Castle, particularly well served by Matt Davies and Oliver Corbett, hit back to snatch a second try in the corner from matchwinner Ed Roberts with eight minutes left.

At the other end of the table the champagne corks were popping for Cleobury Mortimer after a 38-12 victory at Market Drayton clinched the title.

It was their 17th win out of 18 games and they can top 900 points for the campaign in their final two games at Bishop's Castle this weekend (which is doubling up as a North Midlands Vase semi-final) and at home to Rugeley on April 11.

Skipper Will Bache beamed: "We have been promoted as runners-up before but this is the first time we have won a league.

"It has been a terrific season."

Matt Walford (2), Jack Bills, Colin Todd, Josh Phillips and Allan Shields all went over for tries, with Shields also kicking two penalties and a conversion.

Clee Hill gave Midlands 3 West (North) high-flyers Harborne a run for their money before going down 33-12.

Charlie Evans and Adam Yarnold both went over for tries, Craig Bakewell kicked a conversion, but Harborne's superior fitness told in the second half.

In Midlands 5 (West) North Church Stretton staged a thrilling comeback to win 24-17 at St Leonards and keep their title hopes alive.

The Samurai trailed 17-7 with 15 minutes left on the clock, but they then ran in three more tries to avenge a surprise 12-5 home defeat by St Leonards back in December. It means victory in their final fixture at home to Stourport will see them crowned champions.

Prop Daran Chard scored Church Stretton's first-half try, converted by Jack Hieron, and their late scoring flourish saw Joe Collins produce a sensational virtuoso effort from the halfway line and skipper Matt Young drive over twice, with Hieron kicking another conversion.