Kenilworth’s second successive win is not an illusion

This resounding victory means Kenilworth’s National Three Midlands survival hopes remain alive. However, it may take the presence of Harry Houdini in the Kenilworth XV to accomplish the task, writes Bob Jones.

Building upon last week’s success, this was an impressive performance by the home side, with both forwards and backs showing great determination and skill in overcoming their mid-table opponents.

Kenilworth suffered an early blow when Steve Clarke was forced to retire with an ankle injury after five minutes, Will Maisey replacing him. This did not deflect their progress, and with the pack beginning to dominate, a penalty goal by Adam Canning, awarded by referee Dean Walker after failure to roll away, opened the scoring.

Canning added a second penalty on the quarter-hour before the visitors hit back with an unconverted try. Full-back Will Kingston caught the ball in his own 22 and transferred it to lock Dan Falvey who outstripped the cover to touch down.

Ks were in no mood to lie down and a Canning break, followed by a powerful drive by the forwards, with Nick Lake in the van, set up a move that was finished in style by Maisey. Canning added an excellent conversion from out wide.

Two minutes later, Canning snapped up a loose pass to cross for an unconverted try. A superb touch-finder by Canning then set up the pack for another huge drive, which culminated in a try for Cresswell, converted by Canning on the half-hour.

These were followed almost immediately by more defensive lapses by Kenilworth. First, Matt Ireland jinked cross-field without a hand laid on him and then fired out a blatant forward pass. As the home side waited for a a whistle, Falvey charged over for his second try, converted by Kingston.

Four minutes later, it was Kingston’s turn to benefit from a defensive walkabout, punishing this with an unconverted try, which made the score 25-17 at the break.

Ks stretched their lead after the interval with a try from Maisey, which owed much to an incisive break by Ekard Jacobs.

Dave Clements, whose brave runs had hitherto been bottled up, at last found a way through, and showing both pace and guile, crossed under the posts. Canning added the extras.

Canning dropped a goal to stretch the home lead to 23 points, but it was ONs who scored last, Kingston sending Ireland on his way to the line for an unconverted try.

As Mr Walker sounded the final whistle, fittingly, it was Kenilworth on the attack, with Mike Rust directing operations.