KCRFC 24 v Camp Hill 27 (H) – Saturday 11th October

The result of this match,played in perfect conditions,was in doubt right until the final whistle but despite being outscored by four tries to three the visitors,on the balance of territory and possession,just about deserved their narrow victory in an absorbing encounter.
Camp Hill began well and after their No 12 had missed a simple penalty chance to give them the lead inside the first ten minutes the centre then made amends with a second opportunity two minutes later.Shortly afterwards the visitors won turnover ball on halfway and when their initial attack down the right was halted they switched the ruck ball left and their winger Liam Lindsey went over at the corner to establish an 8-0 lead.
KC’s then lost openside Rob Phillips through injury,began to concede too many penalties and with their front five struggling they were unable to get any sort of foothold in the game although debutant right right wing ,colt Josh Winfield, had looked a threat when in possession and with twenty minutes played the youngster beat his man,fed the ball inside to Jordan Hatch and took the return pass to score in the corner for a top class try.
Five minute later second row Alex Baldwin came on with Nathan Small moving to prop and KC’s first solid scrum produced good ball for centre Rhys Pritchard to cut through Camps midfield and pass back inside to flyhalf George Morgan for a try which the No 10 converted himself to put KC’s ahead 12-8 with only their second real incursion into Camps’s 22.As halftime approached Camp Hill’s first choice fullback Simon Edwards entered the fray and his penalty reduced the arrears to 12-11.In the closing minutes of the half both sides were put under the cosh but KC’s went into the break still clinging on to their slightly flattering one point advantage.
Straight from the restart Camp Hill knocked on but any advantage to KC’s was shortlived and the visitors regained possession to work an overlap for Edwards who touched down to give the Birmingham side a16-12 lead.Edwards was beginning to cause KC’s real problems and after his midfield burst had taken play into Kidder’s 22 Camp Hill were able to exert a spell of sustained pressure which was eventually rewarded with another Edwards penalty to put them seven points ahead.Within two minutes KC’s hit back from a lineout on their ten metre line,moving the ball along the threes to replacement left wing Dean Hodson who committed defenders before passing inside to Hatch who stepped the covering defender to score under the posts and Morgan’s conversion levelled the scores at 19-19.
Five minutes later KC’s missed a straightforward penalty chance but the 22 drop out was well taken by Winfield who passed inside to scrumhalf Chris Pinner and he punctured Camp Hill’s first line defence.The counter attack was taken on by No 8 Layton Wilkinson and finished off by Winfield whose memorable debut was rewarded with the accolade of Man of the Match by KC,s main sponsor,Hillandale Caravans.
Now 24-19 ahead and with the clock running down Kidder needed to hang on but Wilkinson was yellow carded for killing the ball when Camp Hill looked likely to score and Edwards’ punitive penalty reduced the deficit to just two points at 24-22.Five minutes later Camp Hill moved the ball left from a scrum ten metres out before switching back right to create an overlap for Rob Freeman to cross for the winning try and KC’s efforts to save the match were undermined by a succession of lineout throws which did not get past Camps front jumper.A five metre scrum at the death gave them a last throw of the dice but although they battered away at Camp Hill’s line the visitors defence held firm and Kidder had to settle for the consolation of two bonus points,which was fair reward for their afternoon’s work