Towcestrians produced a battling display to push promotion chasers Sheffield all the way in this hard fought encounter at Greens Norton Road, coming up just short but still claiming 2 valuable losing bonus points to keep them 5 points clear of trouble in the league, it continues to be a season of what ifs for the Tows as they narrowly lose a league match by 3 points or less for the fifth time this season and with four games remaining will be looking to close out this season on a winning note.

This game started with an early score for the visitors coming almost directly from the kick off, but Tows composed themselves and got back into the game running at the visitors, a Dave Devlin-Jones break putting Matt Bodily into space to score, converted by Matt Yuill

Tows pressure led to a second try, James Hale going over this time, but the visitors hit back with penalty try from a scrum and lost tight head prop Peter Gowler in the process, to a yellow card. Sheffield looked to have carved Tows open soon afterwards for another try only for Ben Roe to cover across and smash the opposition fullback for a half time score of 12 - 10

Sheffield started the second half strongly and created their best moment of the match, a sweetly worked move from the back of a scrum putting in the right winger, Tows no.8 Craig Holton adjudged to have fouled the scorer in the process and he received his first Yellow card in his playing career. Sheffield took advantage of the influential 8's departure, scoring again soon after and then creating space for a cross field kick to find its way to their grateful wide man to run in unopposed for another try and take the game away from Tows at 12 - 27, Tows to their credit always fight to the end and came roaring back, forwards and backs combining to drive downfield, after intense pressure James Hale collected his second try, with Tows now pummelling the visitors, Holton stormed through a gap to score under the posts and Matt Yuill's conversion was the last kick of the game to see Tows come up just short.

After the game Head Coach Robbie George looked forward to the upcoming challenge "The effort and commitment of the players can't be faulted, but at this level simple errors cost us dearly, we have four opportunities left this season and we're looking forward to the challenge, we can't afford to go into our shells for any periods of games, that's whats cost us, we need to find a way to maintain our game plan for the full 80, we certainly have the character and the ability and know we can compete at this level""

Elsewhere around the club, Tows 3rd XV also suffered a 3 point loss, 22 - 25 to Kettering 2nd XV

Next week the Tows are in Alliance cup action in the most local derby at Bugbrooke, 2pm Kick Off.