Having stuttered to a narrow 7-3 home win over Gosforth last time out, it was vital that Rovers stepped up several gears with top of the league side Morpeth next up at the New Friarage.

Rovers had Anthony Hanley making his first start of the season and Stewart Grazier and Michael Barnfield doing the same from the bench.

Both kickers missed opportunities to give their sides the lead. Henry Parkinson put a snap 20 metre drop goal just wide after 9 minutes and Daz Fawcett then pulled a penalty on the home 22 to the left.

Medicals’ backs were looking dangerous when they ran the ball and a good backs move saw them take a 7-0 lead when Matthew Horrocks crossed and Parkinson converted although there has to be a question mark over the quality of the attempted tackling.

Parkinson, who controlled the game well for his side but was not, in fairness, put under any pressure made it 10-0 on 23 minutes with a 22 metre penalty.

The match went into uncontested scrums territory at the end of the first half with Glen Wise and Jonny Cushlow both in the sin bin.

The numerical advantage worked for Medicals with Oli Baines and David Swetman crossing on 38 and 40 minutes respectively and Parkinson kicking both conversions for a half time lead of 24-0.

The introduction at the break of Grazier saw the Friaragemen increase the tempo and Jonny Cushlow’s close range effort and Fawcett’s conversion put the first points on the board for Rovers.

Grazier then got on the end of a good move after 48 minutes involving backs and forwards and he got a second try on 63 minutes as the White Shirts had Medicals under pressure deep inside their 22.

Trailing now only 24-17, Rovers went in search of further scores but the students held out and went on to score two more tries themselves in the last 10 minutes.

Swetman also got a brace although his simple run round behind the posts had been made possible by a swerving run by Jack Oddie and Richard Clegg then ambled over from a free kick. Parkinson’s successful conversions making the final score 38-17.

Medicals: Horrocks, Swetman, Eaton, Oddie, Bartlett, Parkinson, Baines, Clegg, Bath (c), Jones, Dickinson, Roebuck, Hawe, Putnam, Alson. Subs used: Hodgson, Southworth, Sutton

Rovers: Sainty, Grand, Gunn, Coulson (c), Smith, Fawcett, S Barnfield, Tucker, J Cushlow (sin bin 31), Wise (sin bin 29), Baxter, Hanley, Wilson, Maddison, Foster. Subs used: Grazier, M Barnfield, I Flounders

Referee: Tom Doig (Yorkshire Society)