CLEE Hill suffered the agony of narrow defeat for a second successive week as they lost 22-20 at Midlands Four West North leaders Willenhall.

Two tries and a penalty put the table-toppers 15-3 ahead – with Charlie Evans kicking a Hill penalty in between – but Bryn Rees’ try on the brink of half-time closed the gap to 15-8.

Billy Hall’s effort straight from the second-half kick-off cut the deficit to 15-13 but a converted try from the hosts made it 22-13.

Evans converted his own try to set up a thrilling finale but, in wet and blustery conditions, missed a difficult late penalty that would have snatched victory.

Fourth-placed Hill – who lost 3-0 to Tenbury in the RFU Vase the previous week – picked up a losing bonus point but are now nine points behind second-placed Rugeley.

Skipper Sam Link said: “We should have beaten Willenhall, we were the better side. Five or six errors cost us the game.

“I missed three tackles and they scored three tries which didn’t help! But the positives were how well we played and how well we moved the ball.”

Clee Hill’s President’s Day takes place this Saturday as they host Aldridge.