SWINDON St George's plucky battlers again found themselves on the wrong end of a big score line, losing 54-12 at home to Telford Raiders.

But they showed some positive signs in matching their more experienced opponents for long periods.

Extremely windy conditions made life difficult for both sides and the game did not really kick into life until the 10th minute when the visitors opened the scoring with a long range breakaway try.

Telford then took control of the half, rattling up 28 points without reply before the break.

Immediately after the start of the second period the Shropshire side hammered home two more killer tries before Swindon finally found their scoring touch, Woody Briggs powering over from short range and Stuart Gomersall adding the conversion.

On the stroke of the hour Milo Hartley finished off a well-worked move and Gomersall again added the extra points, but it was the visitors who finished the stronger, Telford's Richard Bringau clinching his place as the game's top scorer with two tries and seven goals.

This week the Saints take a break from West Midlands Conference football to travel to Southampton for a cross league challenge.

Swindon squad: Scott Buchanan, Miles Bennett, Josh Haynes, Stuart Gomersall (two goals), Jake Wojowicz, Shane Criddle, Neil Greenwood, Woody Briggs (try), Richard White, Nick Brookes, John Barrett, Terry Martin, Ashley Brown, Milo Hartley (try), Tom Leigh, James Hackett, Paul Gibbon, Martin Wakeley, Frank George.