CLEOBURY Mortimer shipped two tries in the final seven minutes of their game with Newcastle on Saturday to lose 17-14, a result that saw them drop out of the top three in Midlands 3 West (North).

And with a trip to current leaders Tamworth (ko 2.15) on the cards on Saturday, skipper Willie Bache hopes there will be no hangovers for the trip to east Staffordshire.

Bache, who missed the Newcastle clash due to family commitments, had seen Cleobury go on a nine-match winning run.

“We were winning 14-3 with seven minutes to play but they then scored two converted tries,” he said.

“We knew it was going to be tough because we were missing a number of players, but I would still have put money on us.

“We had a new centre partnership, a winger at openside flanker and my vice-captain Josh Phillips was away on a course. I can’t thank those who stepped in enough but I’m hopeful that some of those missing will be back this weekend.”

Prop Simon Harding and full-back Julian Harding bagged the tries in the Newcastle defeat with David Leach converting them.

And with the ball being dropped three times with the try-line beckoning, the points should have been in the bag for Cleobury before the visitors were able to launch their late onslaught.