Match Report courtesy of Martin Easton....

This third home defeat of the season saw KC’s lose ground in the Mids 2 West (S) promotion race and their opponents now head the table by two points with a game in hand over the chasing pack.Former leaders Banbury went down 10-5 at Old Leamingtonians but their losing bonus point gives them a two point advantage over Kidder in third and after winning against Dunlop fourth placed Leamington are now only two points behind the Marlpool Lane men.

KC’s started brightly,winning an early scrum against the head and with skipper Rob Delahay and Layton Wilkinson carrying well to keep the forwards on the front foot they deservedly took the lead after eight minutes.Following a lineout steal they went through the phases and when Matt Rigsby received a short pass close to Earlsdon’s line the prop powered through the tackles for the opening try,converted by scrumhalf Chris Pinner.Four minutes later,instead of putting boot to ball Kidder failed to clear their lines and lost possession in their own 22 to give the visitors’ centre Rory McPheators the chance to cross for a try near the posts.Surprisingly,the conversion was missed and a snap drop goal attempt by Earlsdon also went wide to preserve KC’s narrow 7-5 advantage.
Despite these near misses, the home side were getting into their stride and a run by openside Rob Phillips nearly produced a second try for Rigsby but the ball went forward and another flowing move also frustratingly ended with a knock on.Nevertheless,KC’s were looking the more likely with gaps beginning to appear in Earlsdon’s defence but they were not quite clinical enough to capitalise until from a lineout thirty metres from the visitors’ line five minutes before halftime good work by Phillips and Wilkinson and a neat reverse pass by Pinner found centre Andy McLellan running a great line to go over for a second try,again improved by the No 9.
Although Earlsdon’s threequarters had looked threatening,KC’s had been marginally the better side up to this point and it was important that they maintained their 14-5 lead until the break but with just a minute of the first period remaining Earlsdon’s scrumhalf Callum Forsyth kicked fairly aimlessly upfield and under no real pressure fatal hesitancy under the hosts own posts gifted a try to the visitors’ No 6 Darren Perry and the simple conversion by their captain,flyhalf Chris Scott,brought them right back into the game at 14-12.
The match was now in the balance but early second half territory saw the momentum swing in Earlsdon’s favour with two tries inside the first six minutes by left wing Tom Walker,both converted by Scott,to put them ahead 26-14.KC’s problems mounted when they lost McLellan through injury but they struck back three minutes later with a try by hooker Joe Kingstone from a lineout drive.Trailing 26-19,KC’s harboured hopes of a comeback but on the half hour mark Forsyth burst from a ruck fifteen metres in front of Kidder’s posts for a fifth try,comfortably converted by Scott.Needing a converted try to earn two bonus points,KC’s battled to the end.Only an ankle tap prevented Laurence Hughes escaping down the left wing and Nick Martin almost broke through in centrefield but their second half performance had been disappointing and they could have no complaints at the result.
Kidder finish their season with away trips to Stourbridge Lions and Leamington on 5th and 12th April and how they react to the Earlsdon defeat will be crucial.Although the Coventry side are now odds on to clinch the title,a play off place is still very much up for grabs and can be achieved if KC’s can complete the double against two sides they have already beaten at home.