With only one position and three points separating the two teams at the start of play a tight encounter was anticipated and so it proved with both sides scoring three tries and the match being decided in the most dramatic fashion at the very death.
KC’s started sluggishly and it was no surprise when the visitors took an early lead,courtesy of a simple penalty by flyhalf Callum Render.A forwards drive by Tamworth from a lineout fifteen metres out then set up a ruck under the posts but they were held up.At the five metre scrum Kidder were penalised and Tamworth took a quick tap but knocked on and the hosts were able to clear their lines temporarily.However,they were soon on the back foot again and were relieved to see a snap drop goal attempt sail well wide.The resultant 22 drop out actually went backwards to give the visitors a scrum but their front row was put under real pressure and KC’s were at last able to launch a meaningful attack which took them into Tamworth territory for the first time and culminated with the award of a penalty which Rhys Pritchard kicked from the 22 to tie up the scores with eighteen minutes played.
Four minutes later from scrum ball against the head on Tamworth’s 22 Kidder moved the ball right and the final pass by fullback Andy McLellan sent in right wing Artur Clechandwicz for a try on debut wide out to put them ahead 8-3.The home side now tried to play some expansive rugby but were frustrated by a series of forward passes and knock ons.Tamworth,on the other hand,were content to use short passes to drive at the defence from close range and from another quickly taken penalty in KC’s 22 tighthead prop Dan Boardman was given a free run to the line by some non existent tackling for a try which really should never have been allowed to happen and Render added the extras to put them back in front ,10-8,with thirty six minutes on the clock.
Kidder began the second half by giving away a penalty in the first minute but Render’s shot at goal from around forty metres was short.At the scrums Tamworth were increasingly popping up and going backwards at a rate of knots but there was no tangible reward for KC’s until with ten minutes played and to the sarcastic cheers of the home crowd they were at last awarded their only scrum penalty of the afternoon and kicked to touch just outside the 22.From the lineout possession they managed to establish some continuity and centre George Morgan,who had been well marshalled so far,spotted a gap and powered over under the posts to retake the lead and Pritchard’s conversion extended the advantage to 15-10
Just two minutes later a fine tackle by flanker Tom Maher as Tamworth tried to run the ball out of defence resulted in a penalty to KC’s which Pritchard kicked from thirty metres to increase the lead but the visitors came back hard at Kidder and after seven minutes of sustained pressure they won a penalty inside the 22 which Render successfully converted.KC’s then put together some fine attacking phases and after another dominant scrum they created an overlap which presented Clechandwicz with a walk in but yet again the pivotal pass had been adjudged forward and the visitors escaped.Nonetheless,the home side were on a bit of a roll and with the half hour mark approaching skipper Chris Pinner worked the short side and his well timed pass gave left wing Andy Holloway just enough room to squeeze in at the corner for a very good finish which opened up a bit of daylight at 23-13.
Yet again Tamworth responded well,helped in no small measure by Kidder’s inability to deal effectively with the re-start,and four minutes later No 7 Rob Hough forced his way over from another tap penalty under the posts.Render’s conversion brought them to within three points and then with little more than three minutes remaining blindside Macauley Green was eventually driven over following a close range lineout to put them back ahead 25-23.
The game looked to be up for the hosts but two penalties in quick succession enabled them to set up a lineout in the visitors 22 and when they ran the resulting possession they won a third penalty,this time to the left of the posts,and with it a chance to pinch the points.Pritchard’s kick was struck well enough but the ball agonisingly smacked against the near upright and was scrambled out of play,so the spoils went to Tamworth and the losing bonus point was scant consolation for Kidderminster.
This was for the most part a disappointingly flat and disjointed performance by Kidder and brought to an end their four game winning run.Although the front row could take satisfaction from a good afternoon’s work at scrum time,from a team perspective there were simply too many unforced errors whereas the visitors were far less charitable and despite their huge slice of good fortune at the end they probably just about deserved their win.The defeat also saw KC’s slip to sixth place in Mids 2 West (N) as although the two sides both now have thirty points Tamworth have won one more game,which counts in their favour.
After the Christmas break Kidder will return to action at Camp Hill on 7th January.