COACH Andy Stooksbury admitted Kidderminster Carolians were "beaten by the best team in the league" after the 47-10 defeat to Midlands Three West North leaders Sandbach.

The Cheshire side had won 15 of their 16 previous league matches and made light work of seeing off KCs to protect their position at the top of the division.

"We were beaten by a better side who are by far the best team in our league," said Stooksbury.

"We never gave up, Rob Delahey worked tirelessly despite being under constant pressure and our scrummage looked solid.

"We have to learn from the expansive game that Sandbach played and continue to build on what we already have."

Sandbach opened the scoring after just two minutes with a simple penalty but KCs hit back immediately with a penalty of their own from Tom Scandrett.

The young hosts were clearly intent on playing a fast handling game and their winger ran in their first try on five minutes after a KCs lineout went astray.

A successful conversion and a long range penalty increased the home side's lead to 10 points.

Midway through the half Sandbach put the ball through the hands again for their second try and added a third from a close range tap penalty.

A touchline conversion extended the hosts' lead to 25-3 but on the stroke of half-time Tom Oakes followed up a kick through to touch down for KCs and Scandrett added the extras to reduce the deficit at the interval to 10-25.

Soon after the resumption a terrific backs move ended in a try for the Sandbach left wing after another wayward KCs lineout throw and five minutes later their scrum half went blind from a five-metre scrum to make the score 35-10.

To their credit KCs refused to fold and for 20 minutes they gave the leaders plenty to think about.

But two tries in the last five minutes, one converted, put a gloss on the victory for a Sandbach side whose good hands at pace were a feature throughout.

The home team's superiority was even appreciated by the large travelling contingent of KCs supporters who will be hoping for a less frenetic afternoon when they entertain Old Salteians at 2.15pm on Saturday.

Stourport slipped out of the Midlands Five West North title race with a 17-8 defeat at mid-table Bloxwich.

Any hopes they had of catching pacesetters Bournville and Kings Norton seem to have gone and they have now slipped to fourth behind Cannock.

The top two now have an eight point cushion over Stouport who will look for a boost at home to bottom-club Yardley on Saturday.

Cleobury Mortimer slumped to their 14th defeat of the season when they lost 20-12 at home to promotion-chasing Berkswell on Saturday.

The result leaves them one place off the foot of Midlands Five West South, and just two points better off than bottom-club Keresley.

They will be looking to bounce back when they travel to Dunlop on Saturday.

Chaddesley remain in mid-table in Midlands Six West South West after their home clash with Clee Hill was postponed last weekend.

They host Birmingham Civil Service at Fox Lane on Saturday.