Camp Hill 15, Dudley Kingswinford 43.
DUDLEY Kingswinford’s perfect start to the season continued with a six try mauling of Camp Hill.
The visitors made several changes to the side that won at Cheltenham. Two of their brightest young stars, fly-half Gareth Bown (bruising) and full-back Jak Davis (illness) were both unfit and were replaced by DK’s two Kiwi signings Robbie Harlow and Leigh Foster respectively. Skipper Ben Connett returned to the second row with Andy McEwen at number eight. Jon Shankland replaced Ryan Wyketts on the right wing.
DK had Camps back pedalling from the opening whistle.
Harlow kicked a penalty to put DK 3-0 up after only two minutes and was narrowly wide with another, longer effort, after four minutes.
DK’s first try came after six minutes.
Gareth Davies’s astute grubber kick through the advancing Camps cover saw McEwen show a tremendous burst of pace to touch down wide out.
Harlow converted from touch to put DK 0-10 up.
Full-back Ian Briggs missed a 10th minute penalty for the hosts but there was no holding all action DK as they surged 15-0 ahead after 14 minutes.
A slick passing movement in midfield saw Foster on the ball. His arcing 40m break at great pace through the Camp’s rearguard culminated in a superb unconverted try. Two minutes later (16m) DK scored their third try of the game and it was a gem! The ball literally flew from one pair of hands to another, McEwen, Dave Westwood, Ollie Shakespeare, who broke three tackles before unloading to Davies who finally sent in Stefan Shillingford at the posts, with Harlow converting.
Battered and bewildered, Camps nevertheless made a good fist of it for the next 20 minutes. Briggs kicked a penalty and the home side managed to keep rampant DK at bay until just before half time.
After 39 minutes DK, who were winning both the tight and loose contest hands down, won a ruck 15m out.
Quick ball then saw Shillingford loop Davies to sprint in brilliantly for his second try.
Harlow again added the extras to give DK a 29-3 lead at the break.
It didn’t take long for DK to further increase their already substantial lead.
On 47 minutes Shillingford’s long pass saw Davies draw the cover before sending in Simon Fletcher, with Harlow converting.
DK were now in full control and after 58 minutes scored their sixth try. Heavy pressure on Camp’s line saw Harlow drive over from close in and then add the conversion.
It looked odds on that DK would run up a very big score, but missed opportunities and a sterling late effort from the home side meant that they actually conceded two late tries to Camps. On 77 minutes flanker Darren Forder drove over after good home forward pressure, then deep into stoppage time lock Rob Hill was driven over with Briggs converting to give Camps a more respectable 43-15 scoreline.
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