After the first scrum of the afternoon had been re-set three times the visitors were awarded a free kick and wasted no time in moving the ball through the hands to put in left wing Luke Stevens with only four minutes on the clock.The early score set alarm bells ringing among the KC’s support but perhaps thinking a cricket score was on the cards Bridgnorth began to over elaborate and Kidder grew in confidence.Following a high tackle on Stevens the visitors kicked to touch and after a number of phases won another penalty on KC’s 22.They opted for a scrum but a good Kidder shove gave them decent ball for the first time and they worked their way up to Bridgnorth’s ten metre line where they were awarded a free kick at a scrum from which centre Rhys Pritchard’s grubber kick harried North’s fullback into a knock on.The resulting scrum possession produced a spell of Kidder pressure which tested Bridgnorth’s vaunted defence and another set piece also gave them plenty to think about before a strong run by powerful centre Will Crossley from almost his own line took play back into KC’s half.
At the scrums Kidder had been posing a lot more problems than Bridgnorth might have expected and the ref was far from happy with the shenanigans that were going on.Midway through the half he spoke with both front rows but the visitors clearly did not heed his advice and immediately conceded a scrum penalty from which KC’s unfortunately failed to find touch to gift away possession.Committed defence,epitomised by a crunching tackle by flyhalf Chris Pinner which stopped Crossley in his tracks,kept Bridgnorth at bay and with skipper Rob Delahay,Hillandale Caravans man of the match, and No 8 Layton Wilkinson carrying time and time again to make valuable yards the home side continued to take the game to the top dogs at every opportunity but their well organised defence was up to the task and they were eventually able to clear their lines.Nonetheless,KC’s were playing solid rugby,working hard and applying themselves to give Bridgnorth plenty to think about.
From a lineout on North’s ten metre line second row Chris Baldwin broke through their ranks and a sniping run by Pritchard was backed up by a series of forwards drives.Wilkinson and prop Matt Rigsby were both held up right on the line before Wilkinson finally breached Bridgnorth’s seemingly impregnable defence to crash over under the posts.The conversion by fullback Andy McLellan,although only fifteen metres out and straight in front,was blown off course by a strong gust of the capricious wind but clipped the inside of a post to drop over and reward KC’s terrific first half performance with an unlikely 7-5 interval advantage.
Finding themselves trailing at halftime for the first time this season,Bridgnorth unsurprisingly came out after the break with all guns blazing and in fifteen blistering minutes they turned the game on its head with four tries.Within three minutes replacement Ash Bithell was driven over from a close range lineout and five minutes later scrumhalf Gareth Bladon sold Kidder’s cover a huge dummy to scamper over for a try under the posts,converted by fullback Will Biddell.They then used the full width of the pitch,attacking down the left before switching right to winger Elliot Brookes who crossed unopposed.Straight from the re-start flyhalf Simon Fletcher made a break and KC’s young winger Josh Winfield was yellow carded as he tried to stop him.The penalty was quickly taken and caught Kidder napping as second row Darren Brick went over to suddenly propel North into a 27-7 lead.
Eight minutes later an astute kick by Bridgnorth’s No 13 Jimmy Gore pierced KC’s defence and Biddell won the foot race to stretch the lead further.Following another penetrating kick by the centre deep into Kidder territory the hosts did well to play themselves out of trouble with some disciplined phases until they coughed up the ball near halfway and a smart interchange of passes put Gore in for a seventh try and North almost out of sight at 37-7.
Although the game was lost KC’s continued to battle away and with five minutes remaining Winfield ran in a consolation try after a storming surge into the 22 by Wilkinson and a well timed pass by McLellan.There was still time for the exciting Winfield to threaten the try line twice more but despite the late flurry by the home side and their tremendous first half display,Bridgnorth’s pace and power in the second period had proved too hot to handle and they were impressive winners of a very good game of rugby.