After a barren two months KC’s produced a spirited performance at Veseyans to notch up a much needed win and complete the double over the Birmingham side.
From Kidder’s kick off Veseyans put them under early pressure until a knock on enabled flyhalf Andy McLellan to establish field position with a kick to the corner and the passages of play which followed were all in the hosts 22 but after spurning the opportunity to take three points when awarded a penalty in front of the posts and declining to kick at goal KC’s came away with nothing. Another scoring chance went begging when Kidder were playing a penalty advantage and created an overlap for right wing Josh Winfield but were pulled back for a forward pass and although they were edging both possession and territory they were caught out midway through the half when Veseyans fullback found space in broken play to jink his way round the cover and score wide out on the right.
Five minutes later KC’s responded from a scrum inside Veseyans’ half when fullback Jordan Hatch came into the line and made good ground before offloading to left wing Will Varley.His determined run was stopped just short but the ball was quickly recycled and second row Rob Phillips,returning from a long injury lay-off,crashed over for the equalising try.Three minutes later the home side retook the lead when their flyhalf converted a simple penalty opportunity but Kidder again wasted no time in replying after V’s were penalised at a lineout on their own ten metre line.They moved the ball left and another penetrating run by Hatch,who was causing problems with his well timed incursions into the line,won a penalty in the hosts 22 and following a powerful rumble by No 8 Layton Wilkinson Kidder went through the phases.Stout Veseyan defence kept them at bay until they conceded another penalty and this time the visitors took the three points with a McLellan penalty to square the scores again at 8-8.
Straight from the re-start Veseyans won a penalty just outside the 22 and their No 10 made no mistake to put them ahead for the third time,11-8.From a lineout on halfway a forwards drive by the home side and a midfield break posed more danger for Kidder but a McLellan penalty to touch took play back to the same position and from the throw skipper Rob Delahay was at the forefront of a concerted attack which culminated in Veseyans making a mess of a 22 drop out and a scrum for KC’s.They kept up the pressure with a penalty to touch and from the five metre lineout the yeoman Wilkinson plunged over from all of a yard out –unstoppable! McLellan’s excellent conversion gave Kidder a 15-11 halftime lead but the outcome of this evenly contested match was still very match in the balance.
At the start of the second half Veseyans immediately kicked a penalty to touch for a five metre lineout but knocked on in the centres and KC’s No 12 Laurence Hughes looked likely to break away until he was ankle tapped.Another concerted Veseyans attack was thwarted by determined defence and after Kidder had battled their way out of danger up the right touchline ,left wing Will Varley suddenly emerged with the ball to make an incisive break through their midfield and when he was faced with the last line of defence he found Simon Clarke on his shoulder in support and offloaded to the replacement back row who went over on debut for an important try which stretched the lead to 20-11.
The match was,however,far from won and an unfortunate slip and knock on in Kidder’s 22 gave Veseyans an attacking scrum which was wasted by a crossing offence in midfield.A Kidder lineout move on their ten metre line then went awry but as Veseyans surged into the 22 fine work by Wilkinson and a McLellan clearance kick rescued rescued the situation.The home side were now throwing the kitchen sink at Kidder as they tried to turn the match around and after a break by their scrumhalf was stopped just short of the posts they moved the ball right and with men over crossed for their second try to reduce the arrears to 20-16.The home side’s forwards then set up a rolling maul which drove KC’s back fully fifty metres into their 22 and inevitably ended in a penalty for V’s which they kicked to touch.Sustained pressure from the lineout possession resulted in a yellow card for Wilkinson but some tremendous defence by fourteen man Kidder,including a try saving tackle by Winfield on his opposite number and a great catch and chase by Hatch,shut out Veseyans during his ten minutes absence.Shortly after the No 8’s return KC’s slender lead was vulnerable from a Veseyans scrum in an attacking position but they won the ball against the head and worked the short side to set Varley off on a run over half the length of the pitch for a clinching fourth bonus point try and a crucial nine point 25-16 advantage leaving the hosts requiring two scores to win with only three minutes remaining.They managed another penalty with the last kick of the match to pick up a losing bonus point but Kidder fully deserved their win and showed that despite recent disappointments morale in the camp is still high.
They can go into the Christmas and New Year break with some optimism despite the daunting prospect of facing runaway leaders Bridgnorth at home on 10th January and third placed Moseley Oak on the 17th.Nevertheless,with home fixtures to follow against four sides they have already beaten or drawn against away from home Director of Rugby Phil Knowles’aspiration of a fourth place finish might just be attainable.