Berkswell & Balsall 18 KC 14

KC expected to be up against it in this fixture as several of their regular team were unavailable due to a social engagement.
Berkswell started by putting sustained pressure onto the KC side, testing the back three with a succession of aerial kicks. Sam Foster at full-back was up to the task and looked safe with good takes. The first score went to Berkswell with a penalty just outside the KC 22 to take the lead.
KC then came back with their own pressure, good scrumaging helping them to get territorial position. As the first half developed KC came into their own and put pressure on Berkswell, gaining territorial advantage, however a succession of mistakes prevented them converting position into points. Chris Pinner was making good attacks including a good cross kick for the winger which was just too long and went dead. An excellent three-quarter move gave the opportunity for the Tildesley brothers to shine. Jim Tildesley made 15 metres drawing the defence and with a perfect pass allowed George to sprint 25 metres for the try. Jack O’Hagan was back from injury and made the conversion. The half time whistle came with KC leading 7 – 3.
The second half started with scrappy play from both sides in the middle of the park, the flow of the game being interrupted by Berkswell questioning many of the referee’s decisions. A Berkswell kick into the KC half gave left-wing Joel Keenan to make a lot of ground to take a swirling ball with a cricket catch, he then made a 20 metres break to pass onto Ryan Wainwright . Wainwright, with a 30 metre powerful run of his own, burst through the defence, skilfully side-stepping the full back to get a great score. Jack O’Hagan again added the conversion to give KC a 14-3 lead.
Berkswell were testing the good KC defence who, with ten minutes to go, eventually cracked as the opposition scored an unconverted try. Notable faces in the defence were Blue Archer and Alex Royall. After another five minutes of scrappy play KC were penalised for a high tackle, Berkswell earning three points bringing the score to 11-14 to KC. KC had their moments and as in the first half would get into the Berkswell 22 and then fail to get the points they had earned. KC forwards worked well and George Lloyd-Jones gained some good line-out ball after coming on as a substitute.
KC were soaking up continual pressure from Berkswell until with only four minutes remaining the referee awarded a penalty try against KC, gifting 7 points to Berkswell. The KC infringement was for collapsing a maul close to the line but the observation might be - did KC prevent Berkswell getting a try?
The game ended with Berkswell winning 18-14, understandably KC would feel they missed out, particularly as they scored the two best tries of the game. Lesson of the game is to be clinical when opportunities are available in the opposition 22.

Bob Davies