NORTH Midlands 16-Group Schools were edged out 7-5 by Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire in their opening county match of the season under the Newark floodlights last night.

North Midlands enjoyed a monopoly of possession but trailed to a first half converted try from the Three Counties.

The pressure was eventually rewarded when left winger Will Hawes, of Bromsgrove School, crossed for a try midway through the second half, but North Midlands were disrupted by injuries and the Three Counties held on to victory.

North Midlands will be in action again on Wednesday, November 7 when they travel to Peel Croft, Burton to play Staffordshire (7.15pm).

The side featured 12 players from Worcestershire and, altogether, 14 newcomers.

Centre Greg Fincher, of RGS Worcester, was the only player from last season's squad still eligible to play at this age group this season.

Team: 15 Peter Winstanley (King's Worcester); 14 Martin Freeman (King Edward's Aston), 13 Greg Fincher (RGS Worcester), 12 Jim Lammas (South Bromsgrove School), 11 William Hawes (Bromsgrove School); 10 Sam Robinson (Bromsgrove School), 9 Tom Holbrook (Monmouth School); 1 Mark Abel (Bromsgrove School), 2 Alan Keylock (Nunnery Wood - captain), 3 Ben Lawrence (Hagley Park), 4 Jordan Crane (South Bromsgrove), 5 George Robson (Old Swinford Hospital), 6 Greg Jordan (Bromsgrove School), 7 Adam Parr (Wolverhampton GS), 8 Ben Collier (Bishop of Hereford). Replacements: Harry Hecht (King Edward's Birmingham), Matthew Fitzgerald (King Edward's Birmingham), Richard Keir (Aylestone), Ollie Everton (Chantry), Daniel Drew (King Edward's Birmingham), Mike Jones (Bromsgrove School), Simon Potter (King's Worcester), Rob Hollyhead (King Edward's, Birmingham), Chris Bennett-Britain (King Edward's, Birmingham)