Post by Paul Webb on Jan 5, 2014 18:38:39 GMT
Kidderminster 34
Nuneaton Old Eds 24
A SHATTERING first 20 minutes, in which they conceded 22 points without reply, proved too big a gap to haul back as Eds tumbled to defeat at Kidderminster.
This reversal saw Eds down to third in Midlands 2 and was a considerable blow to their promotion aspirations as Earlsdon overtook them in the table.
Eds arrived at the Worcestershire club a little later than they would have liked and it resulted in a slightly hurried pre-match warm-up.
However, this could not excuse their lackadaisical approach to the first 20 minutes of the game.
The home side started with the slope and a slight breeze in their favour and proceeded to rip into the visitors. Good home hands and powerful running, enhanced by some poor tackling from the visitors, led to them leading 22-0 after the first quarter of the game.
Eds then rallied and a couple of clean breaks in the centre by Sven Brown and Craig Quick started to give Eds some territory.
When Brown made his second clean break, a two-on-one with Steve List outside him, it looked a certain try but a desperate flail and deliberate knock-on with one hand by the home full-back prevented the score.
The inevitable penalty ensued and home and visiting supporters alike seemed amazed that a yellow card did not follow. Scrum-half Tom Short converted the penalty and the sides turned round at half-time with a 22-3 scoreline.
The third quarter of the match was close to an opposite of the first, with Eds dominating.
A 70-yard run from winger Daniel Elkerton and a clean break from 40 from Quick led to 14 points and at 22-17 Eds were right back in it.
However, Kidderminster regained some control and helped by some relaxed refereeing of the breakdown came back with two more tries and a conversion to lead 34-17.
Another clean break from almost the same position by Quick and a Short conversion made the final score 34-24.
Visiting spectators reflecting on the game on the trip home all agreed that as well as the replacements played, missing the entire regular back row, together with No.6 Scott Parry going off with a broken nose after five minutes, proved too big an obstacle to surmount.
Coach Kevin Venus said: “With the changes we had to make due to unavailability I knew where we could possibly be weak from the starting whistle.
“However, I have so say I have real admiration for the lads who stepped in. In particular Jon Cox at No.8,who in the twilight of his playing career, gave every bit the effort we knew he would.
“Although he was understandably a bit off the pace he never stopped for the 60 minutes he was on the field.
“From the start we looked ring-rusty and were frequently rapidly losing ball in the contact areas. We just did not deal with it.
“Add to this losing second-row Scott Parry, who was having to play at six, with a badly broken nose then the cards were beginning to look less favourable.
“We worked hard to get into the game and Craig Quick scored two sublime tries. We were within touching distance but the man in the middle's decisions were becoming unclear to both players and supporters from both sides but the opposition dealt with them better.
“When we did work the ball wide we always looked like scoring. However, for large portions of the game we simply refused to do exactly that. Lying third in the table, as we are now after this result, puts a lot of pressure on us for the remaining games but we will regroup in the week and sort out some of the issues.”
Much-improved Leamington are the visitors to Weddington on Saturday.
Nuneaton Old Eds 24
A SHATTERING first 20 minutes, in which they conceded 22 points without reply, proved too big a gap to haul back as Eds tumbled to defeat at Kidderminster.
This reversal saw Eds down to third in Midlands 2 and was a considerable blow to their promotion aspirations as Earlsdon overtook them in the table.
Eds arrived at the Worcestershire club a little later than they would have liked and it resulted in a slightly hurried pre-match warm-up.
However, this could not excuse their lackadaisical approach to the first 20 minutes of the game.
The home side started with the slope and a slight breeze in their favour and proceeded to rip into the visitors. Good home hands and powerful running, enhanced by some poor tackling from the visitors, led to them leading 22-0 after the first quarter of the game.
Eds then rallied and a couple of clean breaks in the centre by Sven Brown and Craig Quick started to give Eds some territory.
When Brown made his second clean break, a two-on-one with Steve List outside him, it looked a certain try but a desperate flail and deliberate knock-on with one hand by the home full-back prevented the score.
The inevitable penalty ensued and home and visiting supporters alike seemed amazed that a yellow card did not follow. Scrum-half Tom Short converted the penalty and the sides turned round at half-time with a 22-3 scoreline.
The third quarter of the match was close to an opposite of the first, with Eds dominating.
A 70-yard run from winger Daniel Elkerton and a clean break from 40 from Quick led to 14 points and at 22-17 Eds were right back in it.
However, Kidderminster regained some control and helped by some relaxed refereeing of the breakdown came back with two more tries and a conversion to lead 34-17.
Another clean break from almost the same position by Quick and a Short conversion made the final score 34-24.
Visiting spectators reflecting on the game on the trip home all agreed that as well as the replacements played, missing the entire regular back row, together with No.6 Scott Parry going off with a broken nose after five minutes, proved too big an obstacle to surmount.
Coach Kevin Venus said: “With the changes we had to make due to unavailability I knew where we could possibly be weak from the starting whistle.
“However, I have so say I have real admiration for the lads who stepped in. In particular Jon Cox at No.8,who in the twilight of his playing career, gave every bit the effort we knew he would.
“Although he was understandably a bit off the pace he never stopped for the 60 minutes he was on the field.
“From the start we looked ring-rusty and were frequently rapidly losing ball in the contact areas. We just did not deal with it.
“Add to this losing second-row Scott Parry, who was having to play at six, with a badly broken nose then the cards were beginning to look less favourable.
“We worked hard to get into the game and Craig Quick scored two sublime tries. We were within touching distance but the man in the middle's decisions were becoming unclear to both players and supporters from both sides but the opposition dealt with them better.
“When we did work the ball wide we always looked like scoring. However, for large portions of the game we simply refused to do exactly that. Lying third in the table, as we are now after this result, puts a lot of pressure on us for the remaining games but we will regroup in the week and sort out some of the issues.”
Much-improved Leamington are the visitors to Weddington on Saturday.