Droitwich travelled to Stourport with a number of enforced changes, seven players being unavailable through injury.

Stourport 9

Droitwich 18

Midlands Division Four West (South)

But excellent teamwork proved sufficient to clinch morale-boosting victory.

Stand-in skipper Nick Grint won the toss and elected to play down the slope in the first half.

But Droitwich made a sluggish start and it was Stourport who took the lead with a penalty.

The visitors then seemed to find some rhythm and after good work by No.8 Gareth Knight, the ball was fed along the three-quarters from where Ben Cottrell gave a well-weighted pass to Rob McClean to race into the corner and score.

Shortly afterwards a slick move saw McClean hit the line at pace and totally carve open the home defence to sprint under the posts. Sascha Hobbs added the extra points.

Stourport hit back on the stroke of half-time with a penalty, to leave Droitwich leading 12-6 at the interval -- a slender lead to defend with Stourport coming down the hill in the second half.

Droitwich's defence, however, was superb, typified by wing-forward Nick Godfrey who was outstanding as was full-back Ben Cottrell whose tactical kicking was first rate.

Droitwich looked the most likely to score in second half and were rewarded by two well taken penalties by Hobbs. Stourport could only hit back with one penalty of their own.

Afterwards captain Nick Grint said it was a much needed victory for Droitwich and put the result down to Droitwich's ability to play for each other and focus on the job in hand.

He singled out Hobbs and Matt Blackmore for special praise as well as debutant winger Lee Jarrett.