STRATFORD-upon-Avon RFC had to settle for a losing bonus point after conceding a last gasp penalty in a 23-20 defeat against Malvern.
Tries from James Walton, Gwilym Davis and Tom Stanley, and five points from the boot of Dan Whitby, set up a grandstand finish at Spring Lane.
However, Malvern sent a penalty through the posts with the last kick of the match after Stratford were penalised twice in quick succession at the ruck.
The result means Stratford sit 10th in the Regional 2 Midlands West table following a fifth consecutive defeat.
Malvern scored the game’s first try after just five minutes when the full-back chipped the ball over the Stratford pack and won the race to the loose ball to dot down.
Stratford responded with a try of their own as lock Walton crashed over the line following sustained pressure on the Malvern line.
The home side kicked a penalty from in front of the posts to reclaim the lead as Stratford trailed by three points at the break.
However, Stratford took the lead for the first time after the interval when Davis touched down following a five-metre scrum.
The visitors lost Ben Cole to the sin-bin after an accidental clash of heads although replacement Whitby kicked his first points of the season with a penalty to extend Stratford’s lead despite playing with a man less.
Malvern eventually made the most of the extra man by scoring two tries before Cole returned to the pitch to take a seven-point lead.
Stratford drew level soon after when captain Stanley grounded the ball and Whitby converted after a powerful run from Will Dobbin.
As the game neared its conclusion, Malvern won a penalty with Stratford penalised at the ruck only for the home side to pull the kick to the left of the posts.
However, Stratford repeated the infringement minutes later which allowed Malvern another chance to win the game as the home side duly slotted the ball between the posts from just outside the 22.
