WHITCHURCH 5, DUDLEY KINGSWINFORD 33.

DUDLEY Kingswinford RFC followed on from their fine pre-season with a convincing win in their first league game of the season away at old rivals Whitchurch.

For the first 15 minutes the hosts put DK under pressure, however the visitor’s scrum and defence was excellent.

DK had the first scoring opportunity, being awarded a penalty in the Whitchurch half.

They opted for touch and from the resulting lineout Whitchurch conceded another penalty but fly-half Gareth Bown was just wide with the kick. The first score came after 23 minutes when scrum-half Jordan Brookes made a fine 30m break from a scrum before feeding supporting flanker Dave Westwood on the inside for an excellent try.

Bown converted to make it 7-0.

A period of unforced errors then followed from DK, often when they were in promising situations.

After 35 minutes open side flanker Tui Asi Pito dropped on a loose ball and from the ensuing ruck Bown made a scintillating 50m break only to be pulled down 10m short with winger Jon Shankland free on his outside and allowing Whitchurch to clear their line to touch. However from the lineout the ball was moved swiftly along the DK threequarter line to Gareth Davies on the crash ball. From the ruck the ball was switched to the blindside for Pito to bulldoze over for the try. Bown converted from wide out for DK to increase the lead.

From the re-start Whitchurch knocked on and from the scrum Brookes made a 30m break but his pass was knocked on in a good position. Then Whitchurch made a poor clearance from a line-out and another flowing passing movement from DK was only finally thwarted 5m from the Whitchurch line. The half time score flattered the home side as DK’s unforced errors had seen at least two further tries go begging.

The second-half began with scrappy play from both sides.

On 52 minutes DK took a Whitchurch scrum ball against the head, fly-half Bown brilliantly held on to a wild pass to make a superb 35m break, leaving three would be tacklers floundering in his wake to score an unconverted try just wide of the posts.

Dan Shakespeare replaced Al Francis at tight head prop and three minutes later a Whitchurch clearance kick out of defence was collected in his own half by DK full-back Jak Davis who raced 70m, completely outstripping the home defence to score wide out.

Bown converted from touch to make it 26-0..

On the hour DK were further disrupted when they lost lock Ollie Shakespeare to injury. Brother Dan replaced him in the second row, skipper Adam Blackford moved to prop and Tom Lockley came off the bench to hook.

Following these changes the visitors became a little disjointed, resulting in 10 minutes of Whitchurch pressure.

Once again DK held firm until the Whitchurch skipper and prop Russell Lear was driven over from a lineout for an unconverted try (5-26).

DK came charging back in the final minutes.

Whitchurch picked up from a scrum inside their own 22 but were immediately turned over for centre Tommy Huggins to pick up and feed wing Simon Fletcher on the blindside to score. Bown nailed his fourth conversion for DK to run out comprehensive winners.