OLD Leamingtonians are up to eighth in Midlands Three West (South) after seeing off Stoke Old Boys 20-10 at The Crofts.
The hosts, like Woodrush, only needed three minutes to open the scoring, as Adam Stannard flew past the visitors defence to touch down between the posts. Bradley James successfully added the conversion.
With the game mostly being contested in the middle of the park, it took a while for the next score to arrive, coming on the 35-minute mark when James kicked a long-range penalty to give Old Leams a ten-point lead.
A momentary lapse in concentration allowed Stoke to score an unconverted try to halve the deficit and bring the match back into contention at the half-way mark.
The Old Boys were understandably buoyed by their opportunistic score and continued their upwards momentum by levelling the scoreline with a second unconverted try 55 minutes into the contest.
If ever a wake-up call was needed, OL had it, forcing them to commit more numbers forward.
The more attack-minded approach worked, and, a successful James penalty later, they were back in front.
Sam Brittain then put the game beyond reach of the visitors with a converted try five minutes from time to complete the scoring.
Old Leamingtonians are without a game this weekend, so have to wait patiently for their home game against Alcester on Saturday December 7.
