Leek RFC 47 pts Kidderminster Carolians RFC 10 pts

KCs’ early season woes in the league continued, with a heavy defeat at Leek, who will surely be challenging for promotion at the end of the season after being relegated from a higher division in April.

KCs scored first after 13 minutes, Andy McLellan kicked a penalty from 35 metres out, following an offence at a ruck.

Leek responded with a penalty of their own two minutes later, and then took control with a series of strong runs from their pack, and their pacey backs.

The KCs’ defence held out until the 22nd minute, a switch to the blindside after a line-out on 22m created space for their outside centre to dummy his way into space and cross for the first try, which was converted.

Leek continued to dominate possession for the remainder of the half, but KCs competed well at the breakdown to force handling errors and turnovers. Centre Ewan Thompson was forced off with an injury and with no backs on the bench KCs had to reorganise, with Jess Smith moving out from the second row.

The hosts kept KCs pinned in their own half and catch and drive from a line-out produced a 15 metre rolling maul that could not be halted for a try, and then, following a yellow card for Smith, they took advantage of their superior numbers to move the ball wide to go ver again, to give them a half time lead of 25-3.

KCs started the second half in positive fashion, their forwards drove through the centre, with Layton Wilkinson making good ground and when the ball was released to the backs a perfectly timed pass from Josh Woulfe found Arthur Morgan cutting back inside the defence. He scored under for the posts, giving a simple conversion opportunity to McLellan.

KCs continued to have the better of the play for ten minutes but Leek’s defence held firm. They absorbed the pressure and then countered, running from the try line to set up their own attack, and forced another penalty error from KCs in the front of the posts for a further three points.

Leek started to regain their superiority as KCs tired, and scored their bonus point try on 23 minutes.

They attacked again straight from the kick off, and only last ditch defence denied them a further score. KCs were now looking to run the ball from their own half but invariably left the ball carrier isolated, allowing Leek to penalties and turnovers and keep their line intact.

Indiscipline cost KCs 20 metres for questioning a penalty decision, and from the resulting kick to touch and line-out Leek set up a number of forward drives that eventually resulted in a further try.

KCs refused to give up, and attacked strongly as the game neared the end, forcing a series of penalties close to the Leek line, but could not finish off any of the moves. They eventually lost possession and Leek attacked again from their own half, setting up a ruck on the KCs’ 22 metre line before a blind side break brought the final try of the match, which was converted.

KCs will hope to welcome a number of players back from injury for next week’s trip to Laurentians in the RFU Intermediate Cup, before returning to league action the following week.