BIRMINGHAM Exiles began the new season with a 3-15 defeat at home to Tenbury Wells as they slipped out of the North Midlands Junior Vase at the first round stage.
Both teams defended well, if somewhat frantically at times, but it was the visitors were the better with ball in hand as they progressed to the second round.
The opening half-an-hour ended scoreless despite both sides having chances to post points.
With 30 minutes on the clock the deadlock was broken when, from a scrum, Tenbury’s Will Greenwood crossed on the left for a try and the conversion was missed.
Five minutes on the Exiles cut the deficit to two points when left-winger George Rae kicked a penalty goal to set up the second half nicely.
Once again the opening 30 minutes of the second period followed in a similar pattern as the first with neither side adding to the score.
But it was the visitors who eventually moved the score on with a try by Calum Spires that put his side 10-3 ahead.
Tenbury now began to play with more confidence, and although the Exiles put in some terrific defence, the visitors rounded off the scoring with a second and deserved try from the industrious Greenwood.
The Exiles are next in action when they begin their league campaign on the road at Coventry-based Trinity Guild.
