Claverdon 21 pts Tenbury 5.

IN their first game against Claverdon for some time, Tenbury Rugby Club started their Midlands 6 West (SW) season without the benefit of having played any of their intended friendly warm-up fixtures.

The opposition being unable to raise a team, unavailability of a referee and waterlogging had scuppered their efforts to play together to get used to one another and the Experimental Law Variations.

But after an early successful penalty for Claverdon, Tenbury hit back to lead with a try by scrum-half Dean Gervis following an excellent break by acting captain Matthew Ord.

Grant Duffy was unable to add the extra points with his conversion attempt.

Despite Tenbury enjoying an overall slight superiority attacking downhill during the first period, the home team regained the lead with an unconverted try in the corner following a scrum and a penalty, leaving the visitors 11-5 down at the break.

The second half was characterised by mostly midfield exchanges before Claverdon’s scrum-half managed to get away for a converted try which was followed by a third successful penalty.

Darren Kite went close for Tenbury without being able to quite ground the ball for a try and the team will hope to turn their reasonably encouraging start into a successful Junior Vase day at Alcester on Saturday.