WIVELISCOMBE secured a valuable two bonus points in their narrow 23pts-25 defeat at home to fourth-placed Stothert & Pitt.

The home team received one point for scoring four tries and one for finishing within seven points of their opponents.

Wivey took an early lead when a quick lineout caught the visitors out and prop Matthew Ellis crossed the line unopposed.

But the visitors, who proved a very effective counter-attacking side, levelled when fly-half Lewis Whyte chased a long kick after Wivey had been turned over after being in a promising position near the visitors line to draw level at 5-5.

Captain Dan Twose put Wivey back in front when he received the ball on the top touchline and showed good pace to score in the top corner.

Stothert then had a good spell of play in which they scored two more tries to move 15-10 up at the interval.

Playing up the slope, Wivey raised their game and drew level with a try from winger James Taylor finishing off good work by his fellow backs.

Stothert’s loose forwards were giving Wivey a hard time at the breakdown and with their driving mauls; No 8 Liam Rotherham was always to the fore in this area and he again put Stothert in front with a typical No 8 touchdown at the back of the maul. Not to be outdone, Dan Twose crossed for his second, showing good retention of the ball to score under pressure.

At 20-apiece, the game was becoming very tense with the next score probably deciding the outcome.

It was Stothert who took the advantage with Rotherham crossing.

Wivey kept going right to the end and two penalty chances could have won the game.

George Rowe, who returned from injury for the last quarter, was successful with one so th