CLEE Hill moved a step closer to clinching promotion from Midlands Four West North with a brilliant away win on Saturday – and they can take another mammoth stride towards going up this weekend.

A 24-3 win at Aston Old Edwardians kept leaders Clee Hill five points clear of second-placed Aldridge with a game in hand – and extended the gap to third-placed Barton-under-Needwood to 12 points.

Hill host Barton this Saturday knowing that victory would open up a virtually unassailable cushion with only six games of the season remaining and almost guarantee one of the two promotion spots.

Cleobury Mortimer were the only other local side to taste action last weekend, losing out 14-7 in a hard-fought tussle at home to Midlands Three West North promotion hopefuls Old Saltleians.

Dave Shorter scored Cleobury’s try, with Alex Sparks adding the conversion, and Mortimer will hope to bounce back away at Telford Hornets this weekend.

Ludlow’s Midlands One West game with Dudley-Kingswinford fell victim to the floods as did matches involving Tenbury and Bishops Castle & Onny Valley.