Burntwood were leapfrogged in the table by Edwardians after a 41-21 defeat on the road.
The visitors had the better of the first half possession and territory but the hosts pulled away after the break to seal the victory.
The Solihull-based side went five points up in the first minute following swift handling from the kick off and a final long pass to put the left winger over in the corner.
The visitors then lost centre Billy Fisher on six minutes due to a leg injury suffered in his side’s first attack. A reshuffle saw Rob Jones move into the back division and Jack Johnson replace him in the pack.
Both teams probed for openings for the next 15 minutes, which included a home player spending ten minutes in the sin bin.
Burntwood went close a couple of times, but it was Edwardians who went further ahead after 19 minutes. Line out possession on halfway was fed out to the left winger who raced round to the posts for a converted try.
The visitors deservedly got on the scoreboard three minutes later. Kian Carter kicked a penalty award to the five metre line. Skipper Josh Canning drove from the line out before Tom Shorrock bulldozed his way in for the score, converted by Brett Taylor.
Ben Holt’s kick out of defence was chased by Josh Massey to allow a loose ball to be hacked to the home try line, but Holt was beaten to the touchdown.
Against the run of play, Edwardians broke into the visitors’ half after being helped by a catch on the run from a chip ahead. It led to a penalty which was tapped and the hosts were over in the left corner for 17-7.
Josh Sheppard came off the bench and made an immediate impact with a run down the right wing. It led to a penalty plus ten metres, but from the resulting line out Luke Rookyard’s score was not awarded by an unsighted match official.
With the half -time whistle due, Taylor’s half break was almost finished off by Massey before another close range line out saw Rookyard go round the blind side for a try. Taylor added a fine touchline conversion to make it 14-17.
Edwardians recorded their try bonus point seven minutes into the second period. A kick provided the position, and with line out possession secured they crossed in the corner for an unconverted try.
The home pack began to have the better of the set piece play and their well-organised defence denied Burntwood the chance of a comeback.
The visitors fell further behind when a speculative kick into the home half was run back for another try in the left corner just after the hour mark.
Five minutes later, pressure on a Burntwood scrum 22 metres out saw a pass back inside beat the last defender for 14-34.
However, Canning’s side responded quickly from the restart. Line out possession was driven on strongly by Hal Gozukucuk in midfield prior to Rookyard shrugging off the last defender for a try from the 22. Taylor converted.
With five minutes left, the Edwardians hooker proved unstoppable from close range to score a converted try under the posts.
In the time remaining, Burntwood twice went close to a try bonus point, but good runs by Charles Michael and then Sheppard into the home 22 came to nought with the final passes going astray.
There was better news for Burntwood 2nds who moved to second in the table with a 39-7 home win against Erdington.
On Sunday afternoon Burntwood Colts made the long trip to Oswestry in a North Midlands Colts League fixture only to lose out 29-16.
There are no Midlands League fixtures this weekend although the 3rd team are hoping to arrange a club fixture.
