In early September KC’s had comfortably despatched the visitors 55-5 in the second round of the North Mids Shield but despite the return of a number of experienced players they found fast improving Shrewsbury an entirely different proposition in this Mids 2 West (N) encounter and slumped to their third consecutive league defeat.
The Shropshire side started on the front foot and when Kidder’s backs were caught offside they kicked the penalty to touch to establish field position. Shrews turnover ball maintained the momentum and after seven minutes their early pressure was rewarded when fullback Tom Cookson knocked over a simple penalty.KC’s had a let off when he hooked another straightforward penalty chance but the visitors continued to monopolise territory and possession.A charged down kick compounded by a knock on put the hosts in more trouble before Shrews No 13 Tim Andrews crossed the whitewash with men to spare outside and Cookson’s conversion gave them a 10-0 advantage with a quarter of an hour played.
Shrewsbury’s forwards and backs were combining seamlessly whereas KC’s lacked any sort of cohesion or game plan and they fell further behind to a second Cookson penalty.Kidder brought on replacement prop Nathan Small to try and stabilise their scrum but it was still one way traffic and the home side were struggling to even get into Shrews’ half.They soon found themselves trailing 20-0 as the visitors picked up a loose ball to spark an attack which cut through some flimsy defence and was finished off by left wing Jack Martin with Cookson adding the extras but in the final ten minutes of the half KC’s at last began to get into the game.
Two penalties were kicked to touch for five metre lineouts and although the second throw was not straight Kidder disrupted Shrewsbury’s scrum and a short pass sent in flyhalf George Morgan.He made the conversion more difficult by taking the ball a lot farther back than seemed necessary and although both touch judges raised their flags the referee ruled that the kick was narrowly wide and the two points went begging.Nonetheless,KC’s were on the board and three minutes later from scrum possession fullback Jordan Hatch and winger Josh Winfield initiated an attack down the left before the ball was switched right and centre Rhys Pritchard cut back inside the Shrewsbury defence to score under the posts.This time Morgan made no mistake with the conversion and after having hardly been in the match KC’s would gladly have settled for going into the break only eight points behind at 20-12 but directly from the re-start a weak clearance kick went straight to Shrewsbury’s right wing Nick Smout who pouched the gift before running forty metres to score without a hand being laid on him and the lead of 25-12 left Kidder with a lot to do in the second half.
Their cause was helped when Shrews prop Killian Casey was yellow carded within three minutes of the resumption and after kicking a penalty to touch twenty metres out KC’s set up a threatening lineout drive which,although still on the move,was stopped in its tracks when the ref decided that the forwards had not used the ball and then awarded Shrewsbury a penalty when Kidder unwisely disputed the decision.Nevertheless,the home side were soon back in Shrews’ 22 when a long kick upfield was surprisingly adjudged to have been knocked on and from the scrum KC’s went through some close range phases which sent prop Matt Rigsby over for a try that reduced the arrears to 25-17.Morgan injured his leg attempting the conversion and from the re-start he was flattened by a late tackle which went unspotted and he was lying prone in Kidder’s 22 as Shrewsbury swept onto the attack and the lively Martin touched down in the left corner to restore the visitors thirteen point advantage.
Midway through the half a series of phases from a Shrews 22 metre lineout culminated in a try at the foot of the posts for hooker Rob Sankey,improved by Cookson,and three minutes later Smout beat his man to increase the lead to 42-17. Kidderminster were being continually stretched by a Shrewsbury side playing with real confidence and ten minutes later they conceded again when Martin completed his hat-trick.
To their credit,Kidder staged something of a grandstand finish and winger Ezra Fa’Alogo was unlucky to be denied a try when the referee was unsighted but they did manage a consolation bonus point fourth try when scrumhalf Chris Pinner went over,with Pritchard converting.It was,however,far too little far too late and they were well beaten on the day by a Shrewsbury side who played with much greater intensity throughout.
Next Saturday KC’s entertain Newbold on Avon in the third round of the RFU Intermediate Cup and can expect another tough afternoon against the in form Warwickshire side who currently lie second in Mids 2 West (S) and ominously will arrive at Marlpool Lane on the back of a 67-17 away win at Spartans (Midlands).