HEAD coach Andy Black praised the commitment, hard work and ‘first rate’ tackling from his Tenbury side even though they lost 12-0 to visitors Claverdon in Midlands Four West (South).

But he admits that he needs extra numbers if his team are to turn potential into points.

“We had 15 very committed players out there on Saturday,” Black said.

“The whole side were fantastic, worked really hard and the tackling was first rate.

“To think that we lost 45-0 at their place at the start of the season shows that we are moving forward.

“But this is a 20-man game and while we now have a good 15 on the field, we need another four or five to build up the squad so that we can bring players on to influence the game.

“That’s what skipper Tom Lawley and myself will be working towards this week.

"On Saturday we had just three on the bench including myself and we probably had 130 years experience between us.”

Claverdon opened the scoring just before half-time with a try under the posts and struck again early in the second half.

Between those scores there was little to choose between the sides with the game being played out in midfield.

Black added: “We did try to expand our game a little more than we have been doing recently – we wanted to ship the ball out wide. Joey Partridge had an exceptional game. He played second row but positioned himself with the centres to give us something extra.

“Nick Webb had another outstanding game in the back row and, when we did get the ball out wide, Ricky Evans caused them problems and was unlucky to have a try disallowed when he was just short of the line.

“If there is an area that we need to look at it’s to develop our attacking options because we were a little one dimensional, trying too much to smash up the centre where they defended very well.

"We needed to ask a few more questions.”

Black is hopeful Ben James will be back in the pack for this Saturday’s home game with third-paced Bedworth but admits it will be a tough few weeks for the Penlu outfit who must then take on Coventrians and Coventry Welsh in their next two games – the second and fourth-placed teams.

“We realise these will be difficult games particularly when you have key players missing,” he said.

“But we have put in two good performances in a row and we are capable of pulling off a surprise particularly if Bedworth think they only have to turn up to win the game.”