Match report Courtesy of Martin Easton.....

In the last fixture of their 2012-13 Mids 2 West (S) campaign KC’s crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season in a madcap game which produced fourteen tries as both sides threw caution to the wind,largely at the expense of their defensive responsibilities and particularly so in Kidder’s case.

With barely thirty seconds on the clock Earlsdon created an inviting overlap which they wasted when they dropped the ball but KC’s reprieve was short lived as with just three minutes played the visitors’ scrumhalf took a quick tap penalty and darted over for the opening score.Five minutes later KC’s stole a lineout on Earlsdon’s 22 and centre Laurence Hughes burst through to restore parity.Chris Pinner’s conversion put Kidder in front 7-5 but a thirty metre penalty by the opposition captain,No 10 Chris Scott,briefly edged the Warwickshire side back ahead before KC’s re-took the lead 12-8 when fullback Rhys Pritchard dodged over.
Kidder hooker Stu Such was yellow carded at the re-start and Scott slotted over the penalty to trigger off a painful twenty minute period for the home side as they then dropped an Earlsdon clearance kick to put themselves in more trouble and Scott took advantage with another three pointer for a 14-12 lead.From the next re-start KC’s were again punished with prop Matt Rigsby being shown yellow and Scott,who was being allowed far too much time and space,made them pay for their lack of discipline as he went over for a try which he converted himself to establish a 21-12 cushion.Ten minutes later Earlsdon ran in a try at the right hand corner,impressively improved by their No 10,and whilst down to fourteen and then thirteen men Kidder had conceded twenty points to find themselves trailing 28-12.Even when restored to their full complement KC’s,without the vastly experienced Andy McLellan and Layton Wilkinson,were clearly rattled and a missed tackle in midfield allowed Earlsdon to go over at the right corner again and despite Such,anxious to make up for his card,crossing for a try the visitors had the last word in the first half with another Scott penalty which gave them a substantial 36-17 interval lead.
KC’s made a rousing start to the second period and after a break by Pinner had established field position Rigsby also partially atoned for his binning by ploughing over for a bonus point try but any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed as Earlsdon twice went over from lineout drives within the space of three minutes,the second score being improved by Scott to stretch the lead to 48-22.This topsy-turvy match took another twist when Such went over from a catch and drive for his second try,well converted by Pinner,but within a minute Earlsdon crossed at the corner yet again to forge ahead 53-29.The visitors,fortunate to keep fifteen men on the park when the ref missed a blatant punch by their No 4,then went further ahead with Scott’s fifth penalty of the afternoon.
All through the game Earlsdon had seemed to be up for it just that little bit more than KC’s and this was graphically exemplified by their eighth and final try.A Scott penalty attempt fell short,hitting the foot of a post,but a determined follow up saw the visitors’ No 8 first to the ball even though there were plenty of Kidder defenders on hand to deal with the situation and the simple conversion took Scott’s haul to 28 points.
To their credit,KC’s kept trying to play their rugby and a terrific run out of defence by Pritchard carved through Earlsdon before he linked up with Hughes and the move finished with a try for replacement left wing Dave Waldron,converted by Pinner to bring an end to a breathless, frenetic afternoon.
It is not very often that a side scores six tries and loses but the margin of this disappointing last day defeat should not mask the fact that KC’s have enjoyed a wonderful season under head coach Ian Bletcher and his support team.A third place finish,twelve points clear of local rivals Droitwich,after flirting with relegation last year is no mean achievement in a very competitive league where,as this game proved,you only have to be slightly below par and you are likely to get punished.There is also a North Mids Shield semi-final still to look forward to,at home to Bridgnorth on 4th May.