Earlsdon 5 KC 38
The game started and neither side getting any advantage until KC pressure from the forwards told and they scored through Dave Kane, Jack O’Hagan converting.
It took until over 20 minutes for KC to start dominating possession, unfortunately after several periods camped in the Earlsdon 22 they came away with no further score. On many occasions KC forwards stood away from the mauls ready to convert possession into attack, this is all very well if they win possession. However if the opposition win the ball all is lost.
Eventually after almost 30 minutes KC were able to put much pressure on in the right-hand corner and the pack drove over to give Simon Clarke the try.
Then just before half-time Ryan Tiene made a break inside the KC half and gave a clever one-handed pass to Jim Tildesley for him to outpace the Earlsdon defence to score, Jack O’Hagan making the conversion. Score 0-19 to KC at the break.
Kc forwards were playing well, however in the first half they were unable to get any meaningful possession from the line-outs. They had more success after George Lloyd-Jones moved back into the forwards from his initial position on the wing. Ryan Wainwright and Dave Kane looked dangerous when getting ball in hand and carried on making territory with their powerful runs. The ever-reliable Chris Pinner again put in a valuable performance with many tackles, positioning himself to gather Earlsdon kicks and looking to launch KC attacks on every opportunity.
Early in the second half a KC kick from their 22 went up the centre of the field, the Earlsdon full back was in position to make a simple catch. Unfortunately for him the ball bounced forward off his chest right into the path of KC full-back Will Fallows, who gratefully gathered it and sprinted 45 metres to score.
Earlsdon were making their own pressure and several good moves in the KC 22 resulted in a push over in the corner to get themselves on the score sheet.
Tom Dalton, playing in the centre, cut through from the KC 22 and passed to Ryan Tiene who made a trade mark 50 metre gallop from the half-way line to score under the posts. Tom Dalton had looked dangerous throughout and ball in hand in the Earlsdon 22 he feigned a pass to Jim Tildesley and beat the defence to score under the posts. Jack O’Hagan added the extras to take his personal tally to four successful conversions to add to his astute kicking from the hand.
KC won the game 5-38, coming into this game KC had not won an away game this season so it was a relief to put in a creditable team performance.
Bob Davies