KC’s 36 Cheltenham 27

KC’s ended their League campaign on a high note as they registered their third win on the bounce,racking up fourteen points in the process to cement their eighth place finish.
In an entertaining game which saw them outscore their Gloucs visitors by six tries to four KC’s took the lead with ten minutes played when back row Rob Delahay’s foraging won a penalty which was kicked to touch.From the lineout the threes set up a ruck and No 8 Alex Baldwin went over for the opening try,improved by Andy McLellan’s conversion.Cheltenham hit back with a penalty but a McLellan kick into space behind their defence caused problems which resulted in a yellow card for the visitors’No 7.Again,the penalty was put into touch and this time prop Russ Gauden plunged over,McLellan adding the extras to give KC’s a 14-3 lead.Five minutes later a forwards drive produced good ball and winger Nick Martin seemed certain to score but knocked on with the line at his mercy.KC’s were,however,not to be thwarted as they disrupted North’s scrum and Baldwin crossed for his second touchdown to extend the advantage to sixteen points.
On the half hour Cheltenham’s No 5 threatened to break through following a lineout but sound defence forced the visitors to knock on and the danger appeared to have been averted.KC’s won their scrum ball comfortably enough but a slack pass was intercepted to give North a converted try which brought them back into the game at 19-10.A Cheltenham penalty from the ten metre line then cut the deficit by another three points but on the stroke of halftime the other Baldwin brother,Chris,got in on the act to cap a flowing passage of KC’s play and his try,Kidder’s fourth, notched up a valuable bonus point.
Ahead 24-13,KC’s began the second half confidently and by midway had opened up a commanding 23 point lead.Firstly,a breakout from a lineout on their own 22 with prop Matt Rigsby in the vanguard moved the ball out to right wing Will Varley whose grubber kick was collected by McLellan and the scorer then converted a Nick Martin interception try which saw him run from his own 22 to dot down under the posts.
KC’s were now looking very comfortable but took their foot off the gas in the last quarter and were not helped when Martin was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on.They conceded two late converted tries but held on and having almost certainly secured their League status can now look forward to a North Mids Shield semi final clash on 7th May away to opponents yet to be confirmed.