KCs are edged out of the cup (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

KCs are edged out of the cup

6:20pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Local

Wolverhampton 17 Kidderminster Carolians 15

KCs were edged out in a tough second round clash in the RFU Intermediate Cup by an abrasive Wolverhampton side who top Midlands Two West (North).

The Marlpool Lane side faced a tough challenge against a Black Country side who have recorded four bonus point wins in succession in the league but gave the home team a fright.

In fact, they could have progressed if they had converted a penalty late on.

The visitors were punished for a sleepy start when they conceded a try in the fifth minute.

But KCs began to liven up and threatened for the first time when the hosts overthrew a lineout and scrum-half Chris Pinner made good ground before Rob Phillips was bundled into touch short of the try-line.

The visitors used the field position to exert more pressure and appeared to have scored when their forwards drove over but they were adjudged to have been held up, the first of many decisions which baffled both sides all afternoon.

Now under pressure and infringing persistently, Wolverhampton were reduced to 14 men when their number eight was yellow carded.

KCs kicked the resultant penalty to touch to set-up a line-out drive, which was finished off by hooker Stu Such to cut the arrears to 7-5.

Andy McLellan carved out a good chance with a clever grubber kick but Nick Martin, possibly impeded by a Wolves’ defender, was just beaten to the touchdown. KCs were not to be denied and another line-out drive ended with a first senior try for prop Stuart Simms to put the away side 10-7 ahead.

But before the break the hosts retook the lead when they broke through the defence and scored a converted try to go 14-7 up.

Eight minutes into the second period a Wolves penalty extended their lead to 17-10 but KCs replied immediately through a move instigated by McLellan.

His kick forced a scrum from which Layton Wilkinson fed Phillips, who scored in the right-hand corner.

KCs camped on Wolverhampton’s line in search of more points and won a host of penalties but declined opportunity after opportunity to kick the three points they needed to regain the lead.

They eventually decided to have a pot at goal but the effort drifted wide and Wolverhampton held on for a narrow win.

In the final analysis, this was a closely-fought contest between two evenly-matched sides and the crucial difference was that KCs failed to take their goal kicking opportunities The Marpool Lane side have now scored 24 tries in six games but they have converted only six and have also missed a number of penalties and in tight games which can be the difference between winning and losing the contest.

KCs return to action in the Midlands Two West (South) on Saturday when they travel to Old Street to face county rivals Upton-upon-Severn in a mid-table battle (3pm).