COACH Karl Newman backed Clee Hill to survive in Midlands Three West (North) after giving another of the title chasers the jitters.

Second-placed Cleobury Mortimer required a last-ditch try from Tom Leach to win 22-21 at Tenbury Road on Saturday despite having built up a 14-point lead by half-time through Sam Faulkner and Sam Bills.

George Edwards and Kevin Murphy led the fightback and Ben Link’s try eventually turned the tide but the hosts switched off and allowed Leach to burst through from a tapped penalty late in the game.

It follows on from a pre-Christmas renaissance which saw second-bottom Clee Hill prevent leaders Ludlow from taking a bonus point before beating promotion hopefuls Burntwood a month ago.

“We seem to have upped our game since we played Ludlow and I don’t think we deserve to be where we are at all,” said Newman.

“I felt we were very unlucky not to win on Saturday but all credit to Cleobury for getting over the line at the end.

“We were the better side early on but they scored against the run of play and took the initiative for the rest of the first half.

“They started strongly in the second half but the rest of the match belonged to us. We showed great character to level it up and then took the lead with 10 minutes to go.

“Cleobury took advantage of a decision we didn’t agree with. They took a penalty quickly and we were not quite ready for it, we paid the price for disputing the decision to be honest.

“We have to take a lot of heart from the performance, though. The lads dug in and with a run of home games to come now, I am confident we can turn it around and stay up.”

The point moved Clee Hill to within three of Willenhall who sit one place above, the other side of the relegation line, ahead of the troubled sides clashing in Shropshire on Saturday.

Ludlow did their derby adversaries a favour and got back to winning ways with a 37-7 victory at Willenhall.

Russell Jones (2), Kieran Pinches, Mark Williams and Sam Thomas scored for the Linneymen with Will Sparrow providing two penalties and three conversions.

Ludlow now sit four clear of Cleobury and five ahead of third-placed Burntwood, and Newman believes both local clubs have what it takes to see through their promotion dreams this season.

“Ludlow won well against Willenhall on Saturday and we prevented Cleobury getting the bonus point but I would say both are well placed,” said Newman.

“I think both have done enough to be the top two this time. They have to play each other on the last day of the season so will want to perform well ahead of that and we still have to go to Ludlow.

“That will be a good, tight game but I cannot see first or second being different to what it is now.”