Kidderminster Carolians 25, Veseyans 7

KIDDERMINSTER Carolians booked their place in the North Midlands Shield final as they saw off Veseyans.

KCs will face Old Saltleians at Dudley Kingswinford on Sunday, May 8.

Last season, Carolians were edged out by hot favourites Bridgnorth in the final.

Director of rugby Phil Knowles said: “It’s great to reach the final and it will be tough against Old Salts.

“But the players deserve this chance, we’ve had a bit of bad luck this season.

“But everyone will want to play very well until the end of the season because there’s a cup final places up for grabs.”

Kidderminster made the perfect start when Mike Protherough was driven over for a try.

Alex Sparks, the latest youngster off the Colts production line, kept the pressure on the visitors and KCs should have extended their lead when awarded a penalty but Chris Pinner’s effort went wide off a post.

Veseyans hit back and edged into the lead with a converted try.

KCs responded almost immediately with an unconverted try by centre Rich Sollom to round off a good interchange between Pinner and Sparks.

Pinner extended Kidderminster’s lead when he spotted a gap in the visitors’ defence and darted under the posts for an opportunist try, which scrum-half Freddie Morgan surprisingly failed to convert.

Veseyans piled on the pressure and Pinner was sin-binned but the hosts defended doggedly to keep the away team at bay.

They gradually wrestled back the initiative and Layton Wilkinson increased their advantage to 20-7.

Having squandered a 24-0 lead against the same opposition just a fortnight ago, KCs could take nothing for granted, but Ben Turner put the result beyond doubt with a fifth try to clinch a hard-earned victory.

Kidderminster go to Old Yardleians on Saturday (3pm ko), with George Morgan, Sollom and Chris Baldwin injury doubts.