Kesteven 26 - Matlock 16
The expected rain and storms forecast for the day did not happen and Kesteven started out in their quest for the NLD Plate in good heart. As often happens the early play was about sounding the opposition out but the home side started confidently with Curtis Dingley getting his line moving well. He varied the game intelligently with some good deep kicks.
He engineered the opening try after 15 minutes when he took a tap penalty 30 metres out and ran at the Matlock defence. The ball was worked into midfield to Faolan Lidstone who broke through to the line. When he ws stopped Chris Jones was on hand to force his way over for the try. Price converted.
The Kesteven sense of adventure proved a little over ambitious and twice they tried to run the ball out of defence only to concede penalties which Matlock converted to bring them to within a point. Matlock had a bit more possession now but they were unable to convert it into any more points and K's finished the half well when again Dingley set his line away. Douglas collected a difficult pass and fed Lidstone for the 17 year old to sprint over for the try. Again Price converted to leave the half time scor 14 - 6.
Kesteven kept control of the game in the early part of the second half and added to their score when Douglas finished off a good move to score wide out. The conversion failed. K's then had to withstand some pressure from Matlock and Jordan Smith did very well to rob an opponent near his own line to relieve the danger.
This took play back into the Matlock half, Matlock failed to find touch with a clearing kick and John Hall caught the ball on his 10 metre line near the touch line. He had just enough room to beat the first tackler and he evaded four others on his way to score the try of the match. His run was never more that a metre from the touch line. Price added the conversion with a magnificent kick.
In the last 10 minutes Matlock at last showed what they could do with the ball in hand and scored two good tries. It wasn't enough and Kesteven were delighted to win a good hard fought match.
This was a great performance from a side which was a mixture of under 17s and Colts. At least half the side will still be Colts next season while the older ones will make the step up to senior rugby with confidence.
Squad Tom Price; Jack Berry, Chris Jones, Faolan Lidstone, John Hall; Curtis Dingley, Chris Cluse; Scott Odams, Rob Cann, Gavin Purvis, Chris Braybrook, David Tweddle, Mark Sayle, Jordan Smith, Mickell Andersen, Dan Turner, Zac Douglas, Aaron Whitaker, Stefan Bowles, Robert Sheardown, Ashley Osborne.
