Keresley 34 Kings Norton 14
Midlands Four West (South)
KINGS travelled to Coventry on Saturday hoping to widen the gap between themselves and the bottom side but things did not go to plan as they were met by a new-look team containing a group of motivated, stronger and experienced players than those who had drawn the October encounter between the sides.
The visitors also had a much-improved squad at their disposal but the powerful home forwards eventually dominated Kings’ pack in the set pieces and generally caused problems in open play.
Having scored an early try in the right-hand corner, Keresley then kept the pressure on and ten minutes later drove over more or less in the same spot to touch down.
Kings were adjudged to have tackled illegally and the referee awarded a penalty try which gave their kicker a simple conversion.
Kings fought back and at the 30-minute mark, after the sin-binning of the overexuberant home No 8, Kings counterpart Sam Back finished off a good forward move from the resultant penalty, touching down left of the posts. Ed Fogg accurately converted.
Although it was clear Kings’ forwards were generally under the cosh, they continued to work hard and held their own until half time.
The second period saw Kings unable to make any significant headway in the scrums or lineouts from which Keresley regularly launched their attacks.
However, Kings’ younger squad fought a spirited rearguard action and, with limited possession, attacked through their starved threequarters.
The whole squad defended valiantly throughout but, before Kings full back Mike Smallen finished off a strong counter-attack to touch down out wide followed by Ed Fogg’s long range conversion, the visitors had succumbed to three tries, two of which were pushovers with one converted.
Keresley then had the final word with an unconverted try.
Kings Norton are without league action on Saturday and go to the fixture pool.
Places are still available for Kings’ presidents’ pre-match luncheon on Saturday, February 11 when they take on Pershore. This will be followed by live viewing of Wales versus England on the big screen.
