Moseley started brightly and were three tries to the good within 15 minutes, two to Ben Pogson from short range and the third to Morgan Dawes, with Harry Read converting all three for a 21-point lead.

It was not until the third restart from the visitors that they found any traction. Samuel Morton-Smith received the ball on the left wing and ran onto his kick-through to score in the corner, Connor Lloyd dragging a difficult kick to the left of the uprights.

Tonbridge continued to work their way back into the game and were rewarded when Harrison Sims crossed, Lloyd atoning for his earlier miss. It was the hosts who had the last word of the first period, Harry Ingram finishing a fine move off the back of a scrum, Read’s kick drawing the half-time whistle.

The second period was full of endeavour from both teams. Had Moseley been a bit more clinical, they might have been rewarded, and for all Tonbridge’s strength and possession, they were well marshalled by the home defence.

The dam was finally broken with eight minutes remaining, Oscar Waite breaking through for the visitors, Lloyd once more on hand. With home scrum half Noah Cowan in the bin for foul play, Moseley were up against it, and so it proved, Lloyd crossing and converting his own score to bring the difference to two.

Moseley’s restart went deep into the 22 and found space. An almost inevitable knock-on from Tonbridge gave the hosts a short-range scrum. Eating up the time, they eventually forced Fred Ma’a over the line, Read’s kick bringing an end to proceedings.

Scoreline:  35-26   (HT: 28-12)

Birmingham Moseley

Tries: Pogson (4, 6), Dawes (15), Ingram (39), Ma’a (79)

Conversions: Read (5, 7, 16, 40, 80)

Tonbridge Juddians

Tries: Morton-Smith (18), Sims (28), Waite (72), Lloyd (75)

Conversions: Lloyd (29, 73, 76)