Towcestrians made the journey out to Cambridgeshire on Saturday to face Shelford, one of the few teams Tows has beaten in the league this year, but following the exertions of wednesday nights Alliance Cup semi final, Tows found it a step too far and were blown away by the much improved Shelford on their fast 3G pitch.

Tows, choosing to give three youngsters their debut in this league encounter, were slow out of the blocks as Shelford kept much of the early possession to score an unconverted try, Tows did respond soon after though, Hooker, Harry Knibbs scoring his first league try for the club from a line out drive.

Against the well drilled, bigger Shelford pack Tows could ill afford to lose numbers, but a yellow card to Harry Sturley and an injury to influential Jamie Warr both in the back row gave Shelford the impetus they needed to stretch the advantage and quickly scored three tries, Tows did respond though with a solo intercept try from Callum Jones, converted by Ben Roe but Tows finished the half under their own posts after conceding possession on Shelfords line and seeing their pacy right winger go the length of the field for a 33 - 12 half time turnaround.

Shelford took full revenge for the defeat inflicted by Tows at home, playing a pacy offloading game that suited their new 3G pitch to run in six more tries against a tired Tows defence, the only reply coming through Tows man of the match winger, Dario Germain.

Tows have just three games left this season, two league games, but against difficult opposition, second placed Barnes arrive this Saturday at Greens Norton Road with a packed clubhouse for the Past Players Reunion lunch and the final league game is a short plane ride to Guernsey on the 21st April to face the league leaders. Tows will have just 4 days to recover before they play ON's in the Alliance Cup Final at the Gardens on 25th April to round off the season.