Shrewsbury’s gloomy start to the season has a ray of sunshine after they secured their first victory of the campaign, writes JAMES GARRISON.

The Sundorne Castle men ran out 27-3 winners at Wolverhampton to move off the bottom of Midlands Two West (North).

Shrewsbury had previously lost all three of their league outings, and suffered a two point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

But their weekend success has moved them back to zero and up to fourth from bottom in the table on points difference.

“It was an important win and a good performance,” said spokesman Mattie Morris.

“The defence were much better and that was the big difference. Wolverhampton didn’t throw much at us but what they did, we coped with.

“We need something to give us a boost and hopefully that has provided it.”

Shrewsbury found themselves 5-3 to the good at half-time with prop Richard Jones crossing the line for a try.

Jones added a second after the interval while fellow prop Craig Jones, No 8 Dan Harrison and winger Dave Furness all crossed the line, with Morris successful with one conversion.

Ludlow made it four wins from four with a 21-19 success at Ashbourne.

The afternoon got off to the worst possible start for the visitors with captain Nicky Davis and Joe Doyle both sent to the sin bin during the opening stages for infringements at the breakdown.

That led to a troubled start for the visitors but they survived and opened up a 7-0 lead thanks to a score from Will Norton which he also converted

Norton then slotted over another penalty but two tries either side of half-time, one of which was converted, put Ashbourne 12-10 to the good. Prop Tony Oliver put Ludlow back in front with their second try of the afternoon, before Norton added two further penalties.

Ashbourne set up a nervy conclusion by drawing within two points with a converted try, but Ludlow held on.

‘It was a very good win,” said a satisfied director of rugby Phil Norton.

“They ran us ragged for the first 20 minutes but our forwards began to control the game.”

Bridgnorth’s unbeaten start to the season came to a crushing end with a 45-3 thumping at Aston Old Edwardians.

The visitors turned the clock back 47 years by turning out in new black and white hooped shirts supplied by local business Benham BMW.

But the new look didn’t help them on the field as, with with several key players missing, they struggled to compete – Paul Markevics kicking their only points.

“We were playing uphill against the wind in the second half and their physical pack ended up dominating up front,” said skipper Gareth Bladen.

“We had around six players out injured or ill so we had to make a number of changes on Friday night, which didn’t help.”