Kidderminster Carolians throw away healthy lead as Veseyans earn a point

KIDDERMINSTER Carolians succumbed to a second-half fightback as they threw away a 24-point lead to be held by Veseyans in the Midlands Division Two West (North).

KCs will feel that they should have won this game but not the first time this season their poor discipline and sloppy handling let them down.

Carolians made a strong start and Chris Pinner opened the scoring with a penalty.

George Morgan showed plenty of pace and power to race from the halfway line to touch down for a try, which Pinner converted.

Leading 10-0, Kidderminster needed to be vigilant at the back and were grateful for a Mike Protherough interception, and then a turnover at a ruck, that both stopped try-scoring opportunities.

Veseyans’ backs showed plenty of enterprise, and were getting behind the KCs defence with offloads out of the tackle, whereas KCs were going to ground and slowing their attacking play down.

Kidderminster increased their lead in the 20th minute when Laurence Hughes collected a kick out of defence and ran the ball back.

Good play from Tom Maher and Morgan put Rich Sollom into space and he touched down under the posts, with Pinner converting.

Arthur Morgan held off a strong challenge to touch down in the corner and Pinner once again added the extras to make it 24-0.

The scoreline was a fair reflection of the dominance and territory enjoyed by KCs at this stage, and could have been more if they had not lost possession at crucial times.

To their credit, Veseyans always kept battling, and they put the visitors under pressure at the end of the half, scoring a converted try to narrow the lead.

Carolians started to fall foul of the referee in the second half, and often compounded their mistakes by giving away two or three penalties in quick succession.

Veseyans made it 24-17 before grabbing a last-ditch try to share the spoils.

KCs play Veseyans again on March 26 in the semi-final of the North Midlands Shield.

Before then they will play promotion-chasing Saltleians at Marlpool Lane next Saturday (3pm ko).