KC’ 62 Pinley 0

Having lost four of their last five league matches, KC’s were under pressure to get back on track against rock bottom Pinley and eventually seized the opportunity, but in the opening exchanges it was the Coventry side who had the upper hand and KCs had to defend manfully to keep their line intact. However, they soon began to settle and when awarded a penalty fifteen metres out and the same distance in from the left touchline they opted for a scrum. No 8 Ryan Wainwright picked up before feeding scrumhalf Chris Pinner down the short side to put the hosts’ skipper over wide out for a try which he converted himself to open up a 7-0 lead with ten minutes on the clock.
KC’s were now enjoying more territory and when a Pinley kick from under their own posts was taken by right wing Ryan Tiene the ball was moved to veteran centre Andy McLellan whose astute grubber kick was gathered by his midfield partner Jim Tildesley to cross for a well worked try.
The next fifteen minutes were fairly evenly contested until Pinley knocked on thirty metres from KC’s posts and from the resulting scrum the ball was put through hands to Tildesley and the No 13 cut through Pinley’s defence to run over half the length of the field for his second try which was well converted by Pinner to establish a 19-0 advantage. Tildesley was later voted Hillandale Caravan Parks’ Player of the Match.
Pinley still battled to keep themselves in the game and KC’s defence was severely tested, repelling a series of forward drives from a close range lineout before Tildesley again led a breakout to relieve the threat.
The closing minutes of the half saw a protracted aerial exchange of kicks between the two teams, until KC’s fullback Will Fallows followed up his own punt to regain possession and spark a passage of play which resulted in second row Tom Kerrigan crossing the whitewash for a bonus point fourth try and an interval lead of 24-0.
At the break KC coach Sam Verralls made three changes and within five minutes the home side extended their advantage. Possession had been won from a ruck under Pinley’s posts and George Tildesley scored, again Pinner added the extras.
KC’s were now well and truly on the front foot and from a scrum on their own ten metre line George Tildesley came in off his wing to launch a long diagonal run before being stopped by a good Pinley tackle. The respite was short lived as KC’s drove over from a tap penalty fifteen metres out and hooker Dave Kane got the touchdown with Pinner once more converting.
Ten minutes later, after making more changes, KC won a scrum against the head on Pinley’s ten metre line and some good handling between the forwards and backs culminated in a try for McLellan next to the posts giving Pinner another simple conversion.
With the visitors now visibly tiring and despite a yellow card for back row Alex Royall, KC’s went on the rampage. A Pinley clearance kick was well fielded by replacement fullback Sam Foster whose pass to Tiene set the winger off on a trademark run and he exchanged passes with Kane before crossing for a lovely try which brought up the fifty points.
Just three minutes later Kane finished off another fluid move for his own second try. The re-start was delayed by five minutes following an injury to a Pinley player and the comprehensive win was wrapped up with a try for Fallows, KC’s tenth, and Pinner adding his sixth successful conversion with the final kick of the game.

Report by Martin Easton