Two first half penalties from Matt Yuill saw Tows edge in front, and in spite of the territorial advantage gained by BBOB, Tows' backs looked the more enterprising.

Despite Tows making more clear-cut chances than their BBOB opponents, both sides were solid in defence and held firm until half time with no further score from either side.

Leading into the second half, the Tows forwards strangely continued to show little of the tenacity they have shown in recent games, seemingly taking wrong options at key moments and giving the BBOB side all the counter-attacking opportunities they needed.

Unsurprisingly, Brigades try did come, and conjured memories of earlier in the season when from a similar move, BBOB opened up the Tows defence allowing the Brigade centre to scamper under the Tows posts.

Brigade made no mistake with the conversion and soon afterwards a further penalty saw BBOB 10-6 ahead. From this moment the Tows pack at last found their normal rhythm and knuckled down to the task. Suddenly the BBOB pack were in disarray and in one rolling maul Tows took the ball from halfway right up to the BBOB try line, driving over for what looked a certain try.

They were brought back for a five-metre scrum where Tows drove back the pack giving young Tows No 8 Nathan Payne his chance to pick up and score.

Although Yuill's conversion attempt failed as the ball struck the posts, Tows had inched ahead.

With only a few minutes left to play, in a fittingly tense finale to an evenly contested game, BBOB nearly snatched victory when, having elected to kick for goal from a penalty, the ball drifted across the posts and Towcestrians were home and dry – but only just!

This weekend Tows play in the next round of the Intermediate Cup at Spartans RFC, Sutton Coldfield.