KCs pay the penalty

3:00pm Monday 6th October 2008

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KIDDERMINSTER Carolians RFC earned their first point of the season in the Midlands Division Three West (South) but were denied victory as a last-gasp penalty sealed a 18-18 draw with Earlsdon on Saturday.

KCs fell foul of a fight back by the Coventry side, despite a blistering first half performance by the hosts.

The draw was not enough to lift KCs off the foot of the table, after fellow strugglers Berkswell and Balsall drew 10-10 with Droitwich.

Once KCs had learned to cope with the strong winds at Marlpool Lane, they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and ran the promotion chasers ragged.

Full-back Andy McLellan opened the scoring when he took a clever pass from centre Jake Evetts and scored close to the posts.

He then converted his own score in the 19th minute to hand his side the perfect start.

The home side made it 12-0 after a period of sustained pressure.

KCs opted for a lineout, after a drive towards the Earlsdon try line was stopped illegally, and this paid off when Nathan Small crashed over from close range.

The home team were playing flowing rugby, with Evetts particularly prominent, and when McLellan kicked a penalty, they took a 15-0 lead into half-time.

After the break KCs struggled to contain Earlsdon, who were driven forward by the strong winds.

The visitors backs line began to make punishing runs and, after fifty minutes, a clean break by the centre was stopped by McLellan's last-ditch tackle.

KCs centre Nick Martin relieved some of the pressure, but the ball went astray and Earlsdon’s clearance kicks were gaining enormous amounts of territory.

Right on the hour the visitors scored a well-worked try through their number 12 after a series of drives.

Three minutes later Earlsdon’s wing forward showed a clean pair of heels to beat the home defence and touch down near to the posts.

With the try converted, KCs lead had been reduced to just three points.

The hosts lifted their game and Rhys Pritchard ran strongly out of defence but the referee ruled that his final pass was forward.

Good passing released Nick Martin down the left flank, but a desperate tap-tackle stopped his progress.

McLellan made it 18-12 with a penalty but the visitors had the bit between their teeth and finally broke through KCs' dogged defence with a long-range penalty.

With ten minutes remaining, forward Richard Campbell was yellow-carded after an altercation with his opposite number and the pressure mounted.

Poor decision-making led to KCs running a penalty, instead of kicking it into touch, and a forward was penalised for entering the ruck from an offside position.

The Earlsdon kicker was successful again and the referee blew for time immediately.

KCs' second team were edged out 11-10 at Luctonians, while the thirds got the better of Cleobury Mortimer 30-22 at home.

In the Midlands Division Four West (North) Cleobury lost 55-17 at Leek.

Stourport suffered a 28-3 loss at home to Bloxwich in the Midlands Division Five West (North).

KCs take on Berkswell and Balsall away on Saturday, while Cleobury take on Newcastle at home, while Stourport go to Harborne.

• CLICK HERE FOR PICTURE GALLERY FROM THE MATCH.