Late decision proves Bitter pill to swallow

Victory in the fourth round tie at Birmingham and Solihull would have earned them a trip to Northampton, where their share of the gate money would have more than compensated for the disappointing takings from the Harlequins match last season.

With almost the last act of a gripping match, Mowden scrum half Phil Harvey charged down an attempted clearance.

"I kicked on and I was about five metres from the line when I was pulled off the ball from behind," he said. "I only had to tap it over the line and drop on it to score.

"Kevan Oliphant was the next man in and he was pulled off the ball as well. We thought it should have been a penalty try, but the referee said it was too late in the game to make such a controversial decision."

London Society referee Chris Rees compounded the error by awarding a scrum to Birmingham. They won it, cleared to touch and the whistle went for full time.

Mowden, who had fought magnificently against a team three divisions above them in National One, could scarcely believe it.

With the conversion for a penalty try being awarded under the posts, it would have been a formality for Oliphant.

"Even their bench were saying it should have been a penalty try," said Mowden's Director of Rugby John Parkinson.

"It's bitterly disappointing, but the lads did the town proud and will bounce back. They proved they could play at this level.

"Birmingham perhaps had a little bit more round the fringes and their continuity was good, but we defended superbly."

Mowden now have to pick themselves up for the crucial top-of-the-table North One match at Blaydon on Saturday. But on this evidence their march up the divisions should continue.

They might have to find two new locks as the tough-as-teak Steve Sanderson is threatening to retire and Jason Malcolm will need to find some improvement to play at a higher level.

Sanderson was outstanding. He made some powerful runs while he and prop Dave Sinclair put in a tremendous amount of tackling for front five forwards.

On the run of play, the hosts just about deserved their victory as their forwards were on top for 45 minutes in the middle of the match.

But so impressive was Mowden's flourish in the last ten minutes that it certainly would not have been a travesty had they won.

They also started well, going ahead with a try after six minutes. Oliphant looked for the outside break from a ruck in midfield, then put the elusive Kevin McCallum through a gap and the full back sent winger Chris Mattison racing over.

Oliphant converted and for 25 minutes Mowden gave as good as they got. They occasionally put themselves under pressure through wrong options, but always recovered well.

The home forwards then began to get on top through a series of pick and drives, probing the fringes relentlessly. But they rarely threatened when they let the ball out, wasting an overlap on the half hour before Mowden inevitably began to concede penalties.

Two were kicked to reduce the gap to one point at half-time and the pressure was straight back on Mowden on the restart as they collapsed a maul near the line.

Birmingham opted to kick the penalty to the corner. They were guaranteed line-out possession through the lanky Neil Underhill, but they narrowly failed to ground the ball for a try.

Full back Jim Quantrill missed a penalty before Mowden showed they could be dangerous on the break as Oliphant launched a thrilling move which took them almost the length of the field.

But midway through the half Quantrill landed a simple penalty to put Birmingham ahead and they were looking stronger for the substitutions they had made.

The most notable example was scrum half Paul Lydster, who had already made one scything run from a tap penalty when he burrowed over from a ruck.

Quantrill converted to make it 16-7 with eight minutes of normal time remaining, but Mowden were swift to respond.

With Danny Brown on for Ian Keeligan and Ian James for Malcolm, Sanderson almost got over following a penalty to the corner.

Then Oliphant kicked a penalty to ensure that a converted try would be enough.

They nearly got in at the left corner following a slick move with McCallum in the line and Mattison appearing on his opposite wing.

Then they ran a penalty from 30 metres out, with Tasi Tuhana and replacement back row man Will Mawby making ground. Seconds later came Harvey's charge down.

He looked certain to score, but got over the disappointment to say: "Now we'll focus on Blaydon next week.