Kenilworth RFC

Kenilworth hosted Stoke On Trent who also gained promotion out of Midlands 1 West last season with the home side scoring 4 tries on the way to a bonus point win, 27- 17.

On a bright autumn afternoon, Kenilworth looked to build on their previous week’s away win at Oundle. It was the team in blue and gold who troubled the score board first, on around 6 minutes with skipper Bobby Thompson on the end of the driving maul. No conversion. Score 5-0.

The next quarter of an hour saw Kenilworth on top and with the majority of possession. On a couple of occasions, the home side worked through the gears nicely, creating two further scoring opportunities, and but for the smallest of errors in the final passage of play, wingers Harrison and Jowett would have also crossed the whitewash. 

The visitors weathered this period of pressure and went the offensive, particularly effective, their driving maul was proving a challenge for Kenilworth. Stoke got what they deserved and bagged a penalty following an indiscretion just inside the Kenilworth 10 metre line, clubhouse side of the pitch. Score 5-3.

2 mins later and now with their tails up, Stoke were finding their rhythm and their trademark counter attacks with width and pace were starting to trouble the hosts defence. It was however a clean-break through the midfield and a couple of slick passes that culminated in a concerted try on 35 minutes. Further pressure saw Kenilworth wing Jowett given 10 minutes rest, yellow card and Kenilworth to 14 men. Tide turning, Kenilworth ruing missed opportunities, game on. Score 5-10.

Kenilworth knew that to let Stoke build on their score would make for a much tougher afternoon and rallied with time running out in the first half, their scrum was now firing causing Stoke to concede a growing number of penalties, and eventually scored a try just to the left of the posts, 5 points to Hannam, Price adding the conversion. Half time Score 12-10.

The second half started as the first with the home side with the upper hand, and 10 mins in, it was Hannam on the end of a sweeping passage of play that began on the half way line, with another 5 pointer. Conversion edged just wide of the upright. Score 17-10.

In what was, no doubt, an entertaining game for the neutral, the see-saw nature of the game continued. Stoke scoring their second and final try of the day, off another effective rolling maul. Conversion successful. Score 17-17.

The Stoke scrum was buckling under pressure courtesy of Boulton, Nicholas and Walsh and with 25 minutes to go, Kenilworth added to their score with a penalty kick from Price to extend the lead to 10 points. Score 20-17. 

Now chasing the game a little, Stoke’s continued ill-discipline saw them reduced to 14 men, the Stoke player adjudged to have killed the ball at the breakdown. Soon after however and from a quick tap penalty, Kenilworth’s Kavanagh blocked the attacker from a free-kick and the referee judged it cynical, Kenilworth now also down to 14 men.

With 10 minutes to go, Kenilworth scored their 4th try of the day, earning the bonus point and taking the game out of reach of the visitors. Another one for the forwards to finish off after some fine approach play from the backs. The pack drove the ball over the line and it was that man Thompson who appeared with the ball as the melee unfurled. Conversion good. Final score 27-17. 

Also on Saturday, Kenilworth Men took on Manor Park away. The Blue and Golds played well in parts against a physically dominant opposition, ultimately losing out 28-8. This was another good opportunity for our young team to gain valuable experience at this level. More to come from this group for sure.

Photos courtesy of Willie Whitesmith

Alex Caveziel Cox 

Lewis Kavanagh