Shipston-on-Stour 10 pts Hereford 32

HEREFORD continued their winning ways and have now lost only twice in the last five months.

But despite this good run of form they will almost certainly finish one spot off the promotion places in Midlands 3 West (South).

Hereford dominated almost throughout apart from a lapse of concentration for a 10-minute period which allowed Shipston to make the scoreline somewhat respectable.

Slow to start, Hereford continued to use their pace in the backs and Des White went over for the first try after 10 minutes. This was a culmination of inter passing between backs and forwards, with virtually every team member touching the ball.

Tim Harvey cut through the home defence to score the second after 20 minutes and then just before half-time Jeremy Grisman added a penalty to make it 13-0 at half-time.

Hereford attacked throughout the next 20 minutes and were rewarded with a brilliant individual try from White. Grisman kicked the conversion to take the score to 20-0 and Hereford were coasting when Harvey added his second try following sterling work from Andy Johnson and Ben Priday who were the pick of the forwards, along with Ali McCall.

The Shipston full-back was then sent off for a dangerous tackle with 10 minutes to go and Hereford relaxed instead of pressing home their superiority in numbers.

Shipston came back to score a try under the posts, which was converted, and then an indiscretion by a Hereford forward gave a penalty under the posts which brought the score to 25-10.

Hereford then regained the initiative and White completed his hat-trick for Grisman to add the final conversion.

l Hereford will lose two of their budding youngsters in Luke Clifford and Adam Knight to university next season.

But three or four of the current Under-17s are expected to be drafted in to the first-team squad for next season.

Chairman Guy Griffiths said: "Although it will be disappointing for the club not to be able to have developed Luke and Adam further, I am sure they will go on to be strong rugby players.

"The club has pushed them both, along with Ben Collier, into the Gloucester under-21 set-up and they have all learnt a lot and developed as players.

"On several occasions we have lost them to Gloucester rather than play them in our own league games. However, the ethos of the club means that we are as equally concerned with any player's personal development along with the club position in any league table."

l The Hereford club's annual general meeting will be held at their Wyeside headquarters on Thursday, May 5 at 7.30pm. The Junior section's meeting is also at the club the following day, Friday, May 6 at 7.30pm.