NORTH Midlands were edged out 20-19 by Dorset and Wiltshire in their final warm-up match before the start of the Midlands 18 Group rugby championship at Ledbury's Ross Road ground yesterday.
It was North Midlands' third defeat in friendly matches but their best performance of the season and it was only in the final third of the game that allowed victory to slip from their grasp.
Tries from Stourbridge number eight Rob Delahay and replacement scrum-half Aaron Higgins put North Midlands ahead, but Dorset and Wiltshire used a strong downfield wind and driving rain to their advantage to nibble away at the lead.
A late try from Moseley prop Karl Douglas was not quite enough to help North Midlands avenge a heavy defeat by Dorset and Wiltshire last season.
North Midlands open their Midlands Championship campaign against Staffordshire at Castlecroft on October 27.
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