Sleaford 50 - Kesteven 5 (including full club round up)
Kesteven were at full stretch on Saturday as the colts were rested for their 3 counties plate semi-final, so 15 players travelled to Sleaford for a friendly fixture.
During the warm-up the weather changed between brilliant sunshine, sleet showers and a swirling wind… not wanting to rely on the intermittent good weather K’s set out to play a tight game. Early on the Kesteven scrum and tight play looked dominant and K’s were able to pressure the Sleaford line with some good kicking to the corners. Midway through the half Sleaford intercepted a loose pass and scored under the posts, this was followed by a well supported move to score a second. Two quick scores gave Sleaford a big confidence boost and a third try just before half time had the opposite effect on K’s.
After half time with the wind in their favour and three tries up, Sleaford were able to play some good rugby and had further success out wide with some good scores. Kesteven didn’t give up and had some good breaks of their own, but were only able to score once out wide through Doug Hayward. A couple of injuries temporarily reduced K’s to 13 players, but Sleaford generously offered replacements to keep the numbers even. As the game went on the superior fitness of the higher league team showed and Sleaford finished with a couple more tries to end the match 50 – 5.
It was a frustrating match in many ways as Kesteven matched Sleaford in many areas, but fitness as so many times this season proved a big difference between the sides. Hopefully it is something K’s can take on board and look to improve over the summer.
Team was P Jordan; R Jordan, R Dolan, M Haddad, M Parker, I McAllister, M Paton, P Dolan, T Smith, P Shields, N Clarke, D Hayward, A Peabody, T Myles.
Friendly match
Kesteven 2nds 10 Sleaford 2nds 19.
Yet another winter's day at Woodnook and another day when the weather played abig part in the proceedings.
This week K's had first use of the wind but the cold made decent play difficult. K's played it tight early on and the pack, with Andy Pearsey particularly to the fore. kept the ball going forward. Jordan Hughes in the unacustomed role of scrum half worked well with the back row in these tactics.
Andy Price made a great break and came close to scoring. The position he created yielded a penalty wich he converted well.
Newcomer, Lithuanian Vilmantas Zuikis showed a willingness to get into the game and it was agreat moment when he intercepted a loose Sleaford pass to run in from 30 metres for the first try of the match.
K's kept the pressure on and Jamie Flear was very unlucky not to score when he broke through from 60 metres and was dragged down just a yard short of the line. This was to prove vital as a 10 - 0 lead was not likely to be enough while facing the wind.
Sleaford started the second half determined to pull back the lead. They quickly got into the K's 22 but they too found scoring difficult. The Kesteven tackling, particularly Tony Burton and Tony Wade was resolute. The pressure eventually told and Sleaford forced a couple of errors behind the K's try line to score a couple of tries, both vonverted to take a 14 - 10 lead. The pressed hard and were denied two tries by the referee being unsighted by a stong K's defence. Eventually they forced a further defensive error for a final try. Martin McGrath and Rob Windsor came on in the second half for Andy Price and Jamie Flear, while Keiran Arnold retired with a cut to the head. He returned valliantly for the final 20 minutes, bloodied but unbowed in the true spirit of the Art of Course Rugby, for those who can remember Michael Green's great book.
This was a disjointed game, caused mainly by apalling weather, but also by the fact that there were a numbr of unfamilliar faces in the Kesteven line up. It was a magic moment when Vilmantas scored his try - what a way for our Lithuanian recruit to make his mark. Elsewher Andy Price played well as did Tony Burton. In the pack Andy Pearsey led by example with great support from Andy Brown and Jamie Flear.
Team was
A Price; W Price, C Berry, T Burton, V Zuikis; T Wade, J Hughes; A Brown, B Login, K Arnold, R Bowles, C Lock, D Tweddle, J Flear, A Pearsey Subs M McGrath, R Windsor
Junior Reports
Kesteven RFC U13s Match Report - Sunday 6th April 2008
Newark 17 - Kesteven 17
Unsure what to expect due to player shortages at Newark, Kesteven U13s travelled to Newark for what turned out to be a real cliffhanger of a game, which has probably shortened the life expectancy of your reporter, and a number of spectators, by several years.
Expecting snow and gales, Ks arrived to a fine, bright but cold day with just a moderate breeze ruffling the grass, positively tropical by Woodnook standards. The uncertainty over numbers meant the format was unconfirmed until shortly before kick-off, but Newark having 13 players, it was decided to play a full game of 13-a-side.
Ks were also missing several players due to injury and holiday absences, and as a result several players took to the field in unfamiliar positions, but without exception, acquitted themselves well. A special mention goes to Myles Bell, who played at fullback for the first time ever on 30 minutes notice, and proved himself well up to the role, never missing a catch.
Ks were hungry for revenge after losing their last game to Newark (incredibly, as long ago as November 2006) to a doubtful try, but it was soon clear that despite their reduced numbers, Newark were not going to concede the honours lightly.
Newark kicked off and Ks soon eased into the lead with a try in familiar style from openside winger Kieran Taylor in the corner. The conversion kick, sadly, fell short.
A promising start; Newark, however, appeared unimpressed, and it was not long before they hit back with their own first try, also unconverted.
Both teams then settled down into a game of attrition. Ks’ pack had the edge over Newark, generally dominating in the scrum and maul, and most of the rest of the first half was played in Newark territory, but Ks continually let themselves down in the ruck and possession was repeatedly lost.
The whistle blew for half time with the score at Newark 5, Kesteven 5, and the game still wide open.
Newark, playing now with the wind, came into the second half with renewed fury, and kept Ks pinned down in their own half with several phases of good passing play. Inevitably this led to Newark’s second try after about five minutes, but Ks hit back almost immediately from the restart with a try from Cameron Hudson, playing today in the unfamiliar position of fly half. Cam converted his own try, and Ks were back in the lead at 10-12.
Ten minutes of unbearable suspense followed, as each team fought to assert itself over the other and the ball swung back and forth across the field. Mistakes in the ruck by Kesteven again allowed Newark to steal the ball and wrongfoot the Ks defence, gaining a good 50 metres. Although stopped and rebuffed on the Ks 22, this phase seemed to give Newark the edge they needed, and they kept up the pressure. Their effort eventually paid off with their third try, by the posts, which was converted, leaving Newark once more in the lead at 17-12 with just five minutes to go.
To their credit Kesteven’s “comeback kids” refused to lie down, and despite heavy pressure from Newark, stayed in the game. A Ks scrum inside their own half saw the ball eventually fed to Taylor, who in the final phase of play, achieved the seemingly impossible, side-stepping several Newark players, breaking fee and running a good 60 metres for his second try.
With the score even, spectators and players alike held their breath as Cameron Hudson prepared to kick the conversion into the wind. Unfortunately as Cam was lining up, he stepped forward, and Newark took this as an indication that he had started his run, and began their charge. Cam was thus forced to take the kick under pressure. Cruelly, it slipped wide and passed just outside the posts, and the final whistle blew, leaving the final score at 17-17.
This was regarded as a fair result by all those present. Each team had the better of the other in different aspects of the game. Honour was preserved, and we look forward to a rematch between full teams next season. Our thanks to our friends at Newark for a great game.
Kesteven squad: Deane, Mason, Sisson, Gabriel, Corner (capt), Holmes, Ellis, Hudson, Rees, Lewis, Coetsee, Taylor, Bell, Chambers, West, Storey, Fischer.
