LUDLOW’S tense relegation battle at the foot of Midlands 2 (West) North will go down to the wire.

Their recent revival ground to a halt in a crushing 54-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Stafford last Saturday.

Victory for the home side moved them level on points with Ludlow, though the Linneymen are above Stafford by virtue of more wins, and it means the issue of who goes down with rock-bottom Tamworth now rests on the results on the final Saturday of the season on April 11.

Ludlow finish at home to Stourbridge Lions while Stafford travel to Moseley Oak and Ludlow spokesman Phil Norton said: “We have to match what Stafford do, and we are hoping that Moseley Oak can do us a favour.”

Ludlow, having defended so resolutely against Shrewsbury the previous week, started well enough but a couple of mistakes then crept in and Stafford needed no second invitation to punch a few holes in Ludlow’s rearguard.

The visitors trailed 25-0 at the break, and a dominant home side continued in the same vein in the second period, running in a total of eight unanswered tries.

Norton added: “Stafford were really up for it and realised that injuries and unavailability had left us vulnerable in wide positions. None of our guys stopped battling but Stafford just kept coming at us.”