CHAIRMAN Roger Gough insisted the decision to surrender Tenbury’s place in the Midlands Junior Vase had been made with a heavy heart.

With four senior players set to go under the knife amid a spate of injuries, Tenbury opted against fulfilling their cup fixture at Bloxwich on Saturday.

But Gough was adamant the Palmer’s Meadow outfit would return to action in Midlands Five West (North) against league leaders Market Drayton this weekend despite still being heavily depleted.

Gough told the Advertiser: “On top of the lads who need operations, we had a scrum-half, our captain (Ed Gough) and a couple of others out.

“It will still affect us on Saturday but we will be able to get a side out. Those who require surgery will still be out and most of those are from the pack.

“We will go there with a full 15, we will just have to call upon some second-team or younger players. It will certainly be different to the side that played two weeks ago.

“It would have been unfair to put them in to the cup game against a team from a league above us. It would not have been the right thing to do and our focus had to be on ensuring we could fulfil our obligations in the league.”

Ed Gough remains a doubt for the Market Drayton showdown with a knee injury.

Elsewhere, Clee Hill also awarded Droitwich a walkover in the second round of the Senior Vase but there was better news for the club with Connor Deignan called up to the North Midlands under-18s squad to face Staffordshire yesterday (Wednesday).

Ludlow, reinstated to the Senior Vase after first-round conquerors Ledbury had fielded an ineligible player, beat Woodrush 56-12 to reach the last 16.

League action returns on Saturday with Ludlow hosting Harborne, Cleobury Mortimer travelling to Cannock and Clee Hill hitting the road to face Willenhall in Midlands Three West (North).

Church Stretton are away to Aston Old Edwardians and Bishop’s Castle go to Yardley & District in Midlands Four West (North).

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