WHEN the last kick of the game drifted past the posts, it consigned mid-table Ludlow to home defeat in Midlands Three West North.

Sutton Coldfield, in second spot, breathed a sigh of relief as a conversion would have meant sharing the points.

The kick was down to scrum half Will Norton after fly half Mark Williams had gone off with a cut head. Derek Sandell had come on for him as a first-half substitute.

Ludlow started well with a try by right winger James Ellis making it 5-0 but the conversion was missed.

After a maul collapsed, the referee awarded a penalty try to Sutton Coldfield, which was converted, to make the score 5-7 at half time.

Following the break, Rob Evans and Mike Jones came on as substitutes for Phil Parkes and Joe Doyle. But the visitors scored two tries, one converted, to put Ludlow 5-19 down.

With 20 minutes to go, Ludlow second row Jake Parkes took a quick penalty and drove under the posts.

From a really good move started in his own half, Eddie McFarlane ran the ball down the middle and Joe Doyle went over, not far from the touchline, only to see the final conversion attempt go wide.

Ludlow are away to Shrewsbury on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm, and the under-17s are at Bridgnorth on Sunday, kick off 11am.