Match Report by KC's Press Secretary Martin Easton.....

KC’s tried to freshen things up by introducing a few second team players and they certainly did themselves no harm,particularly No 10 Ian Crockett who tried to release his backs whenever he had the opportunity,and they also welcomed back the Baldwin twins after their six month trip to New Zealand and Asia.However, just as in their last home match,KC’s were ahead against tough opposition with the second half well underway but could not hold on and eventually were beaten pretty convincingly to increase their relegation worries.
Berkswell & Balsall,who would be sitting in second place if they had not started the season with a fifteen points deduction,drove over from a five metre lineout after only two minutes to lead 5-0 and then concentrated on playing to their strengths with their scrumhalf employing the box kick to keep the ball in front of his forwards and their wingers chasing well to pressurise the KC’s catchers.Basically,it was ten man rugby but it proved effective and midway through the half another lineout drive doubled their advantage.
With limited possession KC’s were struggling to get into the game but on the half hour mark wing Will Varley,lively throughout,popped up in midfield and broke tackles to set up a ruck fifteen metres in front of Berkswell’s posts.The visitors were penalised and Chris Pinner’s penalty put Kidder on the board.The restart went direct into touch and at the scrum back Berkswell again infringed.Pinner’s quickly taken tap penalty caught them offguard,a determined run by fullback Andy McLellan splintered their first line defence and Pinner was up in support to cross for a try which he converted himself to level the scores at 10-10.W fed Varley but he was wrapped up and a Berkswell cross kick caused the hosts problems until they were awarded a penalty which enabled them to clear their lines.Worringly,a KC’s scrum was then marched back deep into their 22 before flanker Ben Binnion stole the ball to take play up to the ten metre line.KC’s were penalised at the breakdown but Berkswell’s penalty fell short and the home side could feel well satisfied at going in to the interval on level terms.
Kidder made a good start to the second half with James Whitehouse and McLellan combining to almost get through up the left touchline and when the ball was moved inside to set up a ruck on Berkswell’s 22,Pinner’s pass was deliberately knocked on by the visitors No 8 although,mystifyingly,it was their prop who was given a yellow card.The penalty was converted by Pinner to put KC’s ahead 13-10 and they then went through several phases from their own 22 before a fine break by Crockett found McLellan in support and his pass to Whitehouse put the winger in the clear but he could not quite beat the cover and was tackled into touch.KC’s stole the lineout but they somehow lost the ball in midfield and a flowing counter attack by the visitors ended with a try under the posts,routinely converted to put them back in front,17-13,with half an hour still left.
Play was then end to end for a while until Berkswell scored twice in six minutes to effectively finish the game as a contest.A rolling maul from a lineout drove KC’s back fully forty metres before it was eventually stopped and from the ruck the visitors worked the blindside to cross for their fourth try,converted for a 24-13 lead.They then pinched a KC’s attacking throw and ran the ball out of defence before kicking long to the left corner.Varley won the chase to prevent a try but the hosts were again in trouble from the lineout and prop Matt Rigsby was shown yellow.Berkswell opted for the scrum and a pushover try for their No 8 stretched the advantage to 29-13.KC’s continued to battle away but the visitors finished much the stronger and two more tries in the final quarter,one converted,condemned KC’s to their seventh successive defeat.With Cheltenham North winning,KC’s really are now looking over their shoulders.