CHURCH Stretton ran in six of the best to open their Midlands 4 West (North) account with a comprehensive 40-17 victory over visiting Market Drayton.

Three of the six touchdowns came in a scintillating 12-minute spell in the second half as the Samurai turned the screw.

First half tries, both converted by Marcus Bedson, came from prop Nick Evans and full-back Danny Harley, though Stretton trailed 17-14 at the interval.

But with the wind at their backs they were unstoppable in the second half, scoring four unanswered tries as they tore the Drayton defence to shreds. Evans got his second of the game shortly before Stuart Brown scored an interception try under the posts. Bedson added the extras to both.

Harley followed up a great try-saving tackle to score his second try after a weaving run before brother Ryan put the icing on the cake with touchdown number six following an excellent kick from scrum-half Roan Kirby. Bedson missed one of the kicks to leave himself with five out of six conversions.

Bishop’s Castle were also first-day winners, following a game of unified rugby between the Castle and Telford hub teams by seeing off Telford Hornets 13-6.

Though Telford started well, Castle opened the scoring with a Henry Wilson penalty. But a penalty try for a collapsed maul enabled the visitors to edge in front, with Wilson pegging the deficit back to one point before half-time with a second penalty.

Castle then powered forward to take command, with No.8 Doug Roberts going over for a try than Wilson converted. Full-back Gary Hockley, flanker Ben Davies and Roberts all performed outstandingly.

Clee Hill opened with a 28-5 home defeat by Newcastle in Midlands 3 West (North) - Adam Yarnold accounting for their try in the first two minutes before they lost their way - while in Midlands 5 West (North), newly relegated Greyhound and Tenbury went head-to-head, and the Hereford-based side claimed a 26-20 verdict.

A penalty and unconverted try from Claude Celton had Tenbury trailing 14-8 at the break, but they hit back in the second half when Callum Spiers went over.

Greyhound stormed back with two more tries but Tenbury had the last word in an ebb-and-flow encounter through Ben Spiers, but disappointed skipper Ed Gough admitted:?“We didn’t really get off the bus.”

*LUDLOW and Cleobury Mortimer kick off their league campaigns in Midlands 4 West (North) this weekend, with Ludlow at home to Eccleshall and Cleobury travelling to Newcastle. The Linneymen have been drawn against Woodrush in the North Midlands Shield Plate while Cleobury meet Ledbury. Clee Hill are away at Old Yardleians.

*CLEOBURY Mortimer’s Tom Redfern, a qualified referee and Level Two coach, won the Young Volunteer Award at the North Midlands RFU Volunteer Reward and Recognition Evening at the Pear Tree Hotel at Smite near Worcester. He also ran a touch-rugby programme which attracted 23 new players to the club.