Sat 5 Mar 2022, 15:00
Kenilworth welcomed old foes and local rivals, Newbold, to Glasshouse Lane on Saturday, and unfortunately the home side didn't achieve the required result at the end of 80 minutes.
The game proved to be a tight affair, with both sides asking questions of each other throughout, and a determined Newbold side clearly had their hackles up from the of, whilst Kenilworth didn't hit the usually high standards that they have evidently set themselves, so often on show in some of the free-flowing and expansive rugby that they have displayed of late.
Newbold opened the scoring after only a few minutes, with a try down the short side having taken advantage of some questionable defence from the home side. Kenilworth then responded with some sustained pressure from their ever-effective pack, and a try from a driving maul for Andresen. Newbold's response was almost immediate, and gaps in the Kens defence allowed the visitors to take advantage of some sloppy play in the lineout from the hosts, with a score in the corner.
Kens then started to show some discipline and the type of rugby that they have shown and displayed so well so far this season. Some further dominance from the forwards allowed the backs to capitalise, and some slick hands allowed the evergreen Garrett Bell showed composure and poise to dot down in the corner.
The score proved a false dawn for the blue and gold, however, as Newbold then camped on the Kens line for a period, resulting in a try for the visitors from close range, despite some dogged defence from the home team.
A lineout 10m out then resulted in fly-half O'Brien producing a moment of magic, dancing through the visitors defence and scoring under the posts with a superb solo effort. Almost immediately, Newbold then took advantage from a lineout in Kens 22, and some confusion in the home defence allowed them to run in a simple try from 10m out. Yet again, Kens didn't know when they were beaten and refused to give up the ghost, with some strong phase play in the away 22 allowing skipper Bobby Thompson to go on one of his trademark bludgeoning runs and power over the line.
A final score of 22-26 in favour of Newbold was a fair outcome, and a fair representation of a performance not up the usual standard that this Kenilworth side have set themselves throughout this season. However, 7 remaining games offer the still very realistic opportunity of promotion, which will be at the forefront of their minds when they visit Old Halesonians this coming Sat, 12th March, followed by Malvern (away) on 19th March. The next home fixture is then against fellow promotion hopefuls Stoke-on-Trent on Sat, 26th March, which will no doubt have a big say in the race for Midlands Premier rugby next season.
