Newcastle 12pts Ludlow 20pts

LUDLOW maintained their 100 per cent record when they visited top-of-the-table Newcastle and came away with a comfortable win in Midlands Four West North. They were behind on a couple of occasions but responded quickly on both occasions to spend the majority of the game in the driving seat.

Ludlow made early pressure tell to open up a three-point lead from a Mark Williams penalty. They could have been further ahead but a try was disallowed for an infringement. The home team broke away to score a try to take the lead for the first time.

They were soon behind and down to 14 men when one of their backs was sin-binned and Williams knocked over the resulting penalty. The Ludlow forwards set the ball up to release Dan Rawlings away for an unconverted try to leave the half-time score 5-11.

Newcastle caught the visitors cold at the start of the second half and regained the lead with a converted try. The try was treated as a wake-up call by Ludlow, Williams quickly restoring the lead with his third penalty. He took his personal tally to 15 points for the game with two more successful kicks to complete the scoring.

This week Ludlow entertain Burntwood who pushed them very close in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.