STOURBRIDGE RFC director of rugby Neil Mitchell has admitted his injury-ravaged side are in a real relegation dog-fight.

Stour suffered their third straight defeat on Saturday after going down 31-27 to Tynedale at Stourton Park.

Mitchell’s men did pick up two valuable bonus points but going into the closing stages of the National League Two season they are still not safe from the drop.

Mitchell was proud of his patched up team and their efforts against Tynedale.

He said: “I can’t praise the lads enough for how they performed against one of the league’s in-form sides on Saturday.

“Albeit for a missed place pass in the final minutes it would have been us walking away with five points.

“I was proud of every single one of them especially when you consider the way they responded to defeat at Waterloo.

“We are just fortunate we haven’t got a game this Saturday because we have only 11 players from a squad of 23 fit to play and for the trip to Redruth the week after we are only likely to have one or two back in contention at best.

“It’s very tough on the players but we will get back up and go again.”

The Stour supremo is now looking for one more victory to confirm their position in the third tier of English rugby.

He added: “Anyone who thinks we are mathematically safe are wrong, because we are not and we must ensure we don’t take our eye off the ball in the remaining fixtures, because we are in a fight to stay up with three other teams following Westcombe Park’s win at Wharfedale on Saturday.”