Impressive run goes on for Kenilworth after win at Syston

The home side went 3-0 up with a penalty before Kenilworth levelled the score with a penalty kick from full-back Will Morgan on 15 minutes.

Ten minutes later, Kenilworth scored the first try of the game through the impressive Sam Peppitt, with Morgan adding the conversion.

The majority of the first half saw a resurgent Syston pounding away at the Kens line and the increasing pressure eventually told with Jonny Openshaw the recipient of a team yellow for repeated indiscretions. To Kenilworth’s credit, they held out with 14 men and prevented Syston from adding to their tally.

Syston were on top at the start of the second-half and enjoyed probably their best period of the game. The Kenilworth scrum kept the Blue and Golds in the game with a combination of ‘against the heads’ or scrum penalties; on two such occasions unfortunately for the visitors, having earned hard fought penalties, the resultant kicks for touch were missed by Kenilworth, piling the pressure back on and keeping the home side in the hunt.

Syston eventually and deservedly did fracture the belligerent Kens defence, their backs scoring out wide on their left wing to make it 8-10.

As the game moved into the final quarter, Kenilworth building on some heavy carries from the likes of Carey, Randal and Boulton, played their way up the field and earned a lineout just inside the home 22. A catch, drive and try for Ollie Stone followed to make it 8-15.

A Syston penalty made it 11-15 and set up a tense final 10 minutes.

Four minutes later Kenilworth won a penalty just outside the home 10m line and slightly to the right. Good game management saw Kens skipper, Bobby Thompson call up Will Morgan to kick for goal to make it 11-18 with less then five to go.

The final play of the game saw Kenilworth scrum-half, Sam Miles, identify space in behind the Syston defence; his deft kick caused chaos in the home ranks, only for the exuberant Ben Harrison to pounce for the final try of the game.