OLD Halesonians suffered late heartbreak away at Lichfield last Saturday.

Hales lost 29-28 after the hosts landed a penalty with the last kick of the contest. The defeat came a week after Old Hales bagged a late victory themselves against second-placed Hinckley.

Lichfield are not an easy team to beat at home and Hales were starting without a specialist tight head prop due to injuries and availability.

The game started with Hales in immediate control. After two minutes in open play wing Luke Smith gathered and sprinted for the first try converted by Chris Hooper.

The home side came back after a scrum where the ball was mishandled by Hales, the Lichfield scrum half collecting and running in unopposed to make it 7-5.

The visitors again fought back with dominant phase play, scrum half Nathan Jones and fly half Matt Williams giving good service. After nine minutes, backs and forwards combined for a driving try by second row Guy Field, converted by Hooper to give Hales a 14-5 advantage.

From the restart, Hales again pressured although the home side were beginning to disrupt the Hales scrum. After 16 minutes, from a line out, scrum half Jones went over for a try converted by Hooper to lead 21-5 at half time.

The second half saw Lichfield pressuring the visitors but dropped passes preventing them from scoring. After 50 minutes Hales forwards drove through Pete Fitzgerald, Tom Jordan, Loz Breese and Tom King.

On 50 minutes the ball was passed along the backs, a kick and chase by Luke Smith resulted in the Lichfield receiver fumbling the ball. Smith collected and ran unopposed for a bonus point try, converted by Hooper to lead 28-5.

However, what seemed like a one way game was soon turned on its head as Lichfield began to fight back, particularly in the scrum where they took control.

From 65 minutes they took the game to Hales who were running out of steam.

In the next nine minutes the home side scored three converted tries in quick succession to pull the score back to 28-26.

Hales were desperate to retain possession, which they did well up until 80 minutes when the referee adjudged foul play in a ruck just inside the Hales half.

This was the opportunity for Lichfield to kick for goal to win. The last kick of the game sailed over for a victory to the home side.

Hales finish in fifth place in the National Three Midlands. They will now meet Whitchurch in the final of the North Midlands Cup on Sunday, May 10 at Dudley Kingswinford.