Scunthorpe 15 (3T), Stourbridge 26 (4T)

After trailing at half time, Stour put in a much-improved second half performance that culminated in victory and a late bonus point try when winger Dan Rundle raced clear.

Though they were to enjoy plenty of possession, Stour found themselves able to generate little first half pressure or momentum due to a rash of handling errors playing into the piercing northerly wind.

The hosts drew first blood from an attacking lineout, a maul trundled towards the line before no.8 Jake Barron crashed over from short range.

A penalty gave Stour their first attacking platform in the hosts’ 22, the pack lost the ball in contact but they were offered a second chance when the clearance kick drifted infield. Rundle gathered and hared crossfield to link with fellow winger Josh Trinham, the cover just held them out but the opportunity remained very much alive until a pass was spilt to create a clear scoring opportunity was spilled.

Stour retained their foothold in Scunthorpe territory and opted to scrum a 5m penalty award. A series of short drives softened the defences before flanker Nigel Mukarati smashed over from short range. Scunthorpe hit straight back, making inroads down the right flank before some flimsy Stour tackling allowed fullback Paul Cook through.

Stour looked immediately to up the tempo at the start of the second half. A scrum on the hosts' 22 saw their pack in rapid retreat to Stour’s newly introduced replacement props, skipper Ciaran Moore driving from the base to set up a neat grubber kick into the in-goal by outside-half Chris Scott. First in the footrace was fullback Luke White who helped himself to both try and conversion.

A half-break by centre Nathan Tilsley put Trinham into space and only last-ditch cover tackle stopped him near the Scunthorpe 22. But Stour had the bit between their teeth, regained possession and grinding their way towards the hosts’ line where replacement Stef Thorp was adjudged held up.

The hammer came down in the subsequent scrum set, the hosts’ front row buckling under pressure to incur a rash of penalties and a warning from referee Callum Sharp.

Stour looked to have blown the opportunity with a fumble but the hosts were unable to lift the siege and transgressed in the shadow of their posts defending a set of drives. Stour opted to scrum, the hosts were penalised for not driving straight and Mr Sharp awarded a penalty try.

Back came Scunthorpe, working an attack that saw winger Sam Morgan just denied as he was held up by the last-gasp tackles of Tilsley and Trinham.

The hosts looked set to strike from the attacking 5m scrum but the ball shot out of the side and was gathered by replacement scrum half Rod Petty. Joe Heatley’s angled run took him clean through the defences, the ball worked to the unmarked Rundle who outpaced the cover to race 60m and score the bonus-point try.

With time up a series of quick tap penalties produced a well-worked try for in the corner for the hosts’ flanker James Dyson.

Next week Stour host Leicester Lions. They will be looking to halt a run of five straight defeats to their East Midlands rivals who lie just one place behind Stour’s third position in National League Two North. Kick off - 3pm.