Stratford 22 pts, Old Coventrians 10

ONLY a lack of concentration late in the game spoiled another competent Stratford show against the section's only unbeaten side.

The Pearcecroft hosts set the trend for an afternoon under glowering skies from the opening kick that was collected by Steve Paxton and off loaded to Anthony Pritchard.

A driving maul followed by Richie Gray's feed through Graham Smith to Andrew Pritchard saw Stratford on immediate attack up the right flank.

It was 17 minutes, though, before the home side managed to penetrate the Coventry defence, soon after a blasting run from Peter Jones had been foiled by a last ditch grab at his shirt.

Stratford's front row of David Howells, James Stanley and Richard Woolley took the ball against the head on the opposition line and Gray, from the base of the scrum, successfully cracked open the defence to touch down.

Smith's raking kick from the restart set his side back on the offensive but the visitors replied with two well judged boots of their own.

Stratford then stayed offside and, from 27 metres, the OCs kicker struck the ball between the posts to make it 5-3.

Home forwards were spurred by this setback and OCs were pinned back on their own line again. A high tackle on Gray saw Stratford elect for a scrum and a penalty try was awarded as an impatient rearguard dived in before the ball crossed the line.

Gardner's conversion made it 12-3 to Stratford with five minutes of the half left to play.

The Coventry side found little let up in proceedings after the restart although conditions underfoot hampered the backs and there were few chances for creative running with speculative initiatives from Neil Sheppard and Gardner foundering in the mud.

It took Stratford until ten minutes from time to break a stubborn visiting rearguard. Stanley's ultimate take against the head and consummate drive from the pack took a protected ball over the line for Paxton to score.

Fourteen points to the good, victory seemed secured until a lack of concentration at a line-out led to the home defence exposed for the first time as a second row forward raced 50 metres untouched to score under the posts.

The conversion trimmed the arrears to just seven points and, from a position of comfort, Stratford held a precarious one score lead with eight minutes left on the clock.

OCs belated attempts to open up play were foiled and the hosts again found themselves encamped close to the opposition line.

Again, a series of five-metre scrums proved OC's undoing as Anthony Pritchard collapsed on the ball and registered his sides third pushover try.

This Saturday's match against Selly Oak has been cancelled, so Stratford's next outing is back in the league on December 9 at home to Bedworth.