Report provided by KC Press Secretary Martin Easton.....
Although OL’s were full value for their win,the final score was harsh on KC’s and did not reflect the contribution they made to an absorbing contest.
Kidder started well and from an early attacking lineout launched a series of drives to win a penalty just outside the hosts’ 22 which was comfortably converted by flyhalf Chris Pinner for a 3-0 lead which was,however,short lived as OL’s hit back immediately when their fullback Ben Wiles engineered an overlap for himself on the right hand side.His try was excellently converted by No 10 Jon Bean from wide out and OL’s were ahead 7-3 with less than five minutes played.A well struck penalty by Bean extended their advantage but they put themselves under pressure when an attempted kick out of defence was charged down by KC’s who made the most of a spell of possession which ended with centre Andy McLellan dropping a goal via an upright.KC’s then likewise got themselves in trouble when they lost their own lineout ball in a dangerous position and also gave away a penalty which the hosts kicked to touch.From the lineout a crisp pass found OL’s No 12 Iain Wallis running at pace on a good angle through a hole in KC’s defence and he dotted down under the posts.Bean’s conversion stretched the lead to 17-6 but the hosts were pegged back when winger Rich Sollom seized on a dropped ball to spark a KC’s counter attack which culminated in a penalty,slotted over by Pinner from twenty five metres.He missed an opportunity to further close the gap with another penalty effort which was narrowly wide and on the stroke of halftime KC’s were caught napping when OL’s followed up a long clearance kick to win a lineout which they took quickly with a short throw to Bean who strolled over unopposed and converted his own try.
Trailing 24-9,the second half was always likely to be an uphill battle for KC’s but they set about the challenge with gusto.A late tackle on fullback James Whitehouse gave Kidder a penalty where his kick landed deep in OL’s territory and they put the ball into touch for a lineout five metres out.The throw was safely secured and McLellan cut back to his forwards to set up a ruck which saw KC’s drive over the line,only to be held up.KC’s now set up camp on OL’s line with a succession of scrums and lineouts,keeping the ball at close quarters until McLellan suddenly changed the tactics with a cross kick intended for wing Will Varley.The ball landed in the perfect spot but bounced back over Varley’s head and although Whitehouse was following up to touch down he knocked on in the process and the hosts escaped again but still could not get out of their own 22.A great eight man shove saw KC’s win turnover ball and at the reset scrum the hosts’ No 7 was yellow carded.OL’s defence had been stretched to the limit for more than a quarter of an hour and with a man down they at last cracked as Sollom got over in the left corner from close range for a try which was just reward for KC’s relentless pressure.
Only ten points behind and very much on the front foot,Kidder were now right back in the game but suffered a sucker punch body blow when a careless pass on halfway was picked off by OL’s left wing Simon Bayliss for an interception try,converted by Bean.The hosts,whose backs had been starved of possession in the second half up to this point,were naturally cock-a-hoop and with the game effectively won their runners cut loose with two well worked tries inside seven minutes clinically finished by Bean and Wallis.Bean’s conversion of the last try took his haul to an impressive 23 points.
Not surprisingly,having worked so hard to get themselves back in contention,KC’s were stunned to concede this flurry of points but they regained their composure and ended the match with their best running rugby of the afternoon,only to be denied at the death by OL’s staunch defence.
Once again there were plenty of plus points for KC’s to take from defeat and it was also encouraging to see a couple of additions to the first team squad with Louie Barnes and Paul Stride making their senior debuts.