BROMSGROVE Rugby Club's Powergen Intermediate Cup hopes ended in a narrow 22-18 home defeat to Burton.

Saturday's encounter between these two in-form sides was a classic game of two halves with Bromsgrove taking the first half but Burton responding with an excellent second half display of attacking rugby to clinch victory with four tries.

Bromsgrove will certainly be disappointed with their performance following their exception win the previous week when they defeated Malvern.

The forwards in particular failed to exert the dominance required to control the game. The scrummage was a serious weakness as was the lack of cutting edge in the threequarters.

Bromsgrove's first try came when they ran back a ball kicked into their own half. Malin's strong running provided ruck ball within Burton's 25 yard line. The ball went blind to Richard Newman who put Carl Bradley over to score an unconverted try.

After a missed penalty kick by Burton Bromsgrove responded with quick rucked ball secured in the middle of the park.

This was swiftly passed along the line to Richard Stockholm whose pace took him outside Burton's winger and then inside the full back for a classic winger's try. James Lloyd Jones converted to take the score to 12-0.

Immediately after the start of the second half Burton charged down a clearance kick which was collected by their scrum half.

The ball was then chipped over the Bromsgrove tryline and Burton's winger won the race to touch the ball down. Town then had an opportunity took extend their lead when a two man overlap was squandered as Bromsgrove's centre was stopped short of the line.

The home side kicked a penalty shortly after to take the lead to 15-5 but Burton responded immediately from the kick off to go over in the corner to bring the score back to 15-10.

This was followed by another try scored by Burton's three quarters.

Bromsgrove briefly regained the lead with another James Lloyd Jones penalty but Burton's fly half made an excellent break to seal the win.