WHITCHURCH Rugby Club returned to winning form at the weekend, by outclassing their Sutton Coldfield-based visitors.

For the first time this season, the Reds started strongly and were ahead after only two minutes when Steve Bloore turned up on the wing to score in the corner.

The visitors came back but had to settle for a penalty after some solid defending.

The game went into a trial of strength for 10 minutes, but it was Jack Furnival who broke from the base of a scrum to power over close in.

Danny Nicholas converted to give the home side a 12-3 lead.

This gap was closed by another penalty to Sutton whose kicker proved to be their only real threat.

As half-time approached, a good backs move was rounded off by Tom Skone who ran through three players to score.

Nicholas converted and it looked as though Whitchurch would go in for the break 19-6 up.

It was not to be as Jimmy Hockenhull was given a yellow card for not rolling away from the tackle, despite appearing to roll past the referee to get away.

The resulting penalty to Sutton meant that the whistle for half-time went with the score 19-9 to Whitchurch.

The second half started quietly but sprung to life within two minutes when 14 men Whitchurch went down to 13, as Skone saw yellow.

This saw Sutton score a try in the corner, which stoked up the home side, who dominated the game thereon.

Back up to 14 men, when Hockenhull returned, the Reds pressed incessantly and it was no surprise when the ball was picked up by James Marvell and Abe Spragg kicked through, followed and chased to pick up and score under the posts.

Nicholas converted and Whitchurch went on the rampage.

Sutton managed to get hold of the ball, but Man of the Match Bloore ripped the ball back and set Henry Hockenhull free to release Marvel who skipped past his winger to score with Nicholas converting.

Minutes later, a flowing move from Whitchurch saw the prop/winger Bloore score his second try of the afternoon.

Skipper Nicholas obliged with the conversion to finish off a satisfactory afternoon at Edgeley Park with a fine 40 points to 14 points victory and five league points in the bag.