BackSat 05 Nov 2016 · Midlands 2 West (North)
1st TeamOld Yardleians
51
14
KC's attack to much for Old Yards
Martin Easton7 Nov 2016 - 10:37
KC's put in the hard yards against a committed, physical, Old Yardlians side....
Eighth placed KC’s notched up an emphatic and much needed bonus point win against Yards to open up a five point gap over the four sides below them in Mids 2 West (N) and can now hopefully begin to look upwards rather than worry about the relegation trapdoor.
From their own kick off Yardlieans enjoyed some early possession but KC’s had the advantage of a stiff cold wind at their backs and skipper Chris Pinner was quick to utilise it with a long kick into the visitors in goal area which forced them to drop out from their 22 and give the ball back to Kidder..
Six minutes into the match the home side created the first chance of the afternoon when George Morgan made a strong midfield run before kicking ahead and left wing Jake Shellis was just unable to gather the ball with the line beckoning.Morgan and his fellow centre Rhys Pritchard were,however,already posing a threat as they looked to get behind the Yards’ defence and three minutes later the pair combined well to send Morgan over close to the posts with Pritchard converting for a 7-0 lead.
The re-start was knocked on by Kidder and with the ref playing an advantage Yards were awarded a penalty and elected to have a shot at goal.It was a tricky kick into the wind but when the ball fell off the tee flyhalf Fran Pugh was allowed to take a quick tap to himself and set up an attack which unsurprisingly caught the hosts off guard as they were expecting him to go for the posts.A Yards five metre scrum followed but a KC’s penalty enabled them to clear the danger and any further controversy was avoided.Shortly afterwards another kick ahead almost produced a second try for Morgan but the ball crossed the deadball line before he could get a hand on it.
At this point,midway through the half,the visitors were scrummaging strongly but they looked vulnerable when KC’s ran the ball at them and a spell of fluid Kidder handling was rewarded with a penalty which Pritchard converted well from 25 metres on the angle to increase the advantage to 10-0.Yards re=start went directly into touch and although KC’s safely secured the scrumback on halfway a poor pass allowed the visitors to take play right up to the five metre line where they were awarded successive scrums ,resulting in a penalty try duly converted by Pugh to cut the deficit to 10-7.
With the break approaching the hosts launched another good handling move down the right and winger Arthur Morgan beat his man on the outside with a lovely step before passing inside to flanker Mike Protheroe who only had to flop over the line for a fine try and moments later Shellis almost got another touchdown.KC’s were now well on top and right on the halftime whistle another sweeping attack with Hillandale Caravans Man of the Match Scott Lovell to the forefront culminated with a penalty in front of the posts,knocked over by Pritchard to make the score 18-7 which really should have been more if Kidder had been less careless with their passing and taken all their chances.As it was,the visitors were still very much in the match and the home side could anticipate a difficult second forty minutes.
In the event,the wind dropped during the interval and it was KC’s who started on the front foot,attacking from deep with a strong run by flyhalf Andy McLellan.Playing a penalty advantage,they looked to have created yet another try scoring opportunity but the final pass was forward and when play was brought back the kick at goal was pulled wide.Nevertheless,with five minutes played Pinner followed up his own little kick to hound Yards into losing possession and Pritchard picked up the pieces to cross under the posts and simply added the extra two points.
The visitors began to put boot to ball but in the calmer conditions not to the same effect as had been possible in the first half and with Kidder using their kicks to counter attack effectively some more assured handling phases were finished off by Protheroe for his second try,again improved by Pritchard to stretch the lead to 32-7 with over half an hour still to play.
Good work by McLellan then produced a penalty turnover on halfway which he kicked to touch to trigger further phases of confident running rugby and support play.KC’s scrum had by now also improved immeasureably,to the extent that when awarded a penalty fifteen metres out they opted for a set piece and apart from a missed penalty attempt a tiring Yardley side were very much on the rack and from a close range Kidder scrum No 8 Alex Baldwin powered over for Kidder’s sixth try.
The home side continued to dominate and in response the visitors could offer only a long solo breakout by fullback Andy Walker but KC’s No 15 Freddie Morgan did enough to stop him and a length of the field counter,with Lovell again prominent,was rounded off by George Morgan.Yardley tried to rally but were punished once more by a hat-trick try for Morgan from broken play and both scores were converted by Pritchard to take his personal tally to 21 points and KC’s were out of sight at51- 7.
To their credit,Yardlieans plugged away to the very end and a series of forwards drives described by their coach as “ one inch rugby” saw scrumhalf James Pritchard burrow over for a last minute consolation try which centre Ian Walker converted but they were well beaten on the day.
From their own kick off Yardlieans enjoyed some early possession but KC’s had the advantage of a stiff cold wind at their backs and skipper Chris Pinner was quick to utilise it with a long kick into the visitors in goal area which forced them to drop out from their 22 and give the ball back to Kidder..
Six minutes into the match the home side created the first chance of the afternoon when George Morgan made a strong midfield run before kicking ahead and left wing Jake Shellis was just unable to gather the ball with the line beckoning.Morgan and his fellow centre Rhys Pritchard were,however,already posing a threat as they looked to get behind the Yards’ defence and three minutes later the pair combined well to send Morgan over close to the posts with Pritchard converting for a 7-0 lead.
The re-start was knocked on by Kidder and with the ref playing an advantage Yards were awarded a penalty and elected to have a shot at goal.It was a tricky kick into the wind but when the ball fell off the tee flyhalf Fran Pugh was allowed to take a quick tap to himself and set up an attack which unsurprisingly caught the hosts off guard as they were expecting him to go for the posts.A Yards five metre scrum followed but a KC’s penalty enabled them to clear the danger and any further controversy was avoided.Shortly afterwards another kick ahead almost produced a second try for Morgan but the ball crossed the deadball line before he could get a hand on it.
At this point,midway through the half,the visitors were scrummaging strongly but they looked vulnerable when KC’s ran the ball at them and a spell of fluid Kidder handling was rewarded with a penalty which Pritchard converted well from 25 metres on the angle to increase the advantage to 10-0.Yards re=start went directly into touch and although KC’s safely secured the scrumback on halfway a poor pass allowed the visitors to take play right up to the five metre line where they were awarded successive scrums ,resulting in a penalty try duly converted by Pugh to cut the deficit to 10-7.
With the break approaching the hosts launched another good handling move down the right and winger Arthur Morgan beat his man on the outside with a lovely step before passing inside to flanker Mike Protheroe who only had to flop over the line for a fine try and moments later Shellis almost got another touchdown.KC’s were now well on top and right on the halftime whistle another sweeping attack with Hillandale Caravans Man of the Match Scott Lovell to the forefront culminated with a penalty in front of the posts,knocked over by Pritchard to make the score 18-7 which really should have been more if Kidder had been less careless with their passing and taken all their chances.As it was,the visitors were still very much in the match and the home side could anticipate a difficult second forty minutes.
In the event,the wind dropped during the interval and it was KC’s who started on the front foot,attacking from deep with a strong run by flyhalf Andy McLellan.Playing a penalty advantage,they looked to have created yet another try scoring opportunity but the final pass was forward and when play was brought back the kick at goal was pulled wide.Nevertheless,with five minutes played Pinner followed up his own little kick to hound Yards into losing possession and Pritchard picked up the pieces to cross under the posts and simply added the extra two points.
The visitors began to put boot to ball but in the calmer conditions not to the same effect as had been possible in the first half and with Kidder using their kicks to counter attack effectively some more assured handling phases were finished off by Protheroe for his second try,again improved by Pritchard to stretch the lead to 32-7 with over half an hour still to play.
Good work by McLellan then produced a penalty turnover on halfway which he kicked to touch to trigger further phases of confident running rugby and support play.KC’s scrum had by now also improved immeasureably,to the extent that when awarded a penalty fifteen metres out they opted for a set piece and apart from a missed penalty attempt a tiring Yardley side were very much on the rack and from a close range Kidder scrum No 8 Alex Baldwin powered over for Kidder’s sixth try.
The home side continued to dominate and in response the visitors could offer only a long solo breakout by fullback Andy Walker but KC’s No 15 Freddie Morgan did enough to stop him and a length of the field counter,with Lovell again prominent,was rounded off by George Morgan.Yardley tried to rally but were punished once more by a hat-trick try for Morgan from broken play and both scores were converted by Pritchard to take his personal tally to 21 points and KC’s were out of sight at51- 7.
To their credit,Yardlieans plugged away to the very end and a series of forwards drives described by their coach as “ one inch rugby” saw scrumhalf James Pritchard burrow over for a last minute consolation try which centre Ian Walker converted but they were well beaten on the day.
Further reading
Team Sponsors
