Midlands West 1

Droitwich 7

Whitchurch 28

Coach Scott Sturdy admits the big challenge facing Whitchurch next season will be to bridge the gap on the leading sides in the Midlands 1 West.

The Reds brought the curtain down on a creditable campaign with a 28-7 victory at Droitwich, ending with an impressive 93 points and 19 wins from their 26 outings this term.

That record saw them finish a clear fourth, some 19 points above Stoke-on-Trent in fifth position.

However, they were 10 points adrift of runners-up Dudley Kingswinford and nine behind third placed Newbold-on-Avon.

High-fliers Bromsgrove were the runaway champions, winning the league at a canter, some 29 points above the Edgeley Park men.

After suffering back-to back defeats, the Reds ensured they ended their campaign on a positive note, with their achievements far exceeding pre-season predictions.

Sturdy admits there is plenty for the club to be proud of in their first season back in the Midlands 1 West, and is setting his sights even higher next term.

"To get over 90 points in our first season back is pretty impressive and everybody is pleased with the way the season has gone," said the coach.

"We finished in fourth very much by ourselves as the two sides directly above got away from us in the last few weeks, while Bromsgrove were well clear at the top.

"That has to be the aim if we are going to get into the top two."

Whitchurch's success this term was built on continuity after keeping the bulk of the squad that lifted the Midlands Two West (north) title with an unbeaten record the year before.

Strength in depth was key, with a number of players able to fill a variety of roles during the campaign.

As always, the club will be on the lookout for new players during the summer, but it is a competitive business with several of their rivals offering financial incentives to lure new recruits.

Reflecting on the Droitwich victory, Sturdy added: "It was nice to finish with a win after a difficult couple of weeks (that saw defeats to Worcester and Bromsgrove).

"We played some good rugby. The result never looked in doubt as we were always in control, and we probably left a few scores on the field."

Droitwich had gone into the game on a good run of form with four victories in their previous five outings, but Whitchurch showed their credentials to ensure they wrapped up their campaign on a winning note.

The visitors ran in four tries to claim a bonus point with Matt Davies, Joe Mullock, Jed Towers and Henry Hockenhull all going over, with Danny Nicholas adding the conversions.

The result saw the Reds complete a league double over their Worcestershire opponents whom they defeated 35-0 on the opening day of the season, capping off what has been a great season.