Kenilworth’s return to the top tier of Midlands rugby was not a happy one. Pitted against their fellow champions of the Midlands Two Division, and containing numerous new faces, they put in a disjointed performance, and in spite of only a 13-point margin, were well beaten by a fitter, faster and better-drilled university team.

The portents were not good, when directly following the kick-off, a telegraphed Andy Whitehall pass nearly led to an interception try. Then the Loughborough pack turned a Kenilworth scrum to gain the put-in, and the visitors proceeded to lose two line-outs in quick succession. Subsequent scrummages were uncomfortable for the men from Glasshouse Lane and their lineout work was haphazard. It was thus a surprise for the apprehensive travelling faithful when they took the lead on the quarter hour. A penalty for over-rigorous use of the boot saw Sam Wood find a good touch deep in home territory. A subsequent break by James Hersey set up a try for flanker Francis Nock, which captain Peter Roberts failed to convert. Stung, Loughborough moved up a gear, their powerful centre Mike Coady took the ball at pace and severed the defence to cross for a try that full-back Grant Pointer converted. Shortly afterwards, the latter added to the score with a penalty goal.

An unfortunate injury to the Loughborough No 8 and captain Andy Hodgkins held up play for 10 minutes, before he was stretchered off. During an eventful period of added time, there were the first signs of a revival in Kenilworth’s play, but Roberts failed with a penalty goal attempt from near the home 22. Then, when Luke Brown uncharacteristically missed a tackle, winger Andy Wright went clear for a try, Pointer converting. Brown nearly made amends with a powerful run, but lost the ball close to the try line. At half time, the score was 17-5.

Within a minute of the restart, the Ks were penalised for holding on, but Pointer could not add the penalty points. It took a great tackle by Dave Clements to halt a Loughborough man in full flight for the line. There was no way through during Kenilworth sporadic attacks, the students tackling fiercely and passes going astray. Alex Taylor replaced Luke Brown after 10 minutes, Hersey moving to fullback, and Whitehall to the wing. The latter marked this with a thrilling run, kick ahead and chase, but was just beaten by the dead ball line. Foul play led to Kenilworth flanker Dave Crandon receiving a yellow card after a quarter of an hour. Dom Carrick replaced Dan Careless. The Ks best move of the match to date followed. After Roberts had been instrumental, Clements crashed over in the corner, but the captain failed to convert.

Loughborough were also reduced to 14 men, when scrum-half Lewis Barker was despatched to the sin-bin for talking back to the referee. Just after the start of the final quarter, two killer blows within three minutes effectively ended Kenilworth’s challenge. First, a splendid run by Wright led to a try for flanker Dave Hughes, then the speedy Wright then himself crossed, Pointer converting the first score. Jez Noon was introduced in place of Wood, with Roberts moving to fly-half. This reshuffle by coach Ian Fergusson heralded some welcome pressure by the Ks. A good attack involving both forwards and backs was held up over the students’ line. From the resulting scrum, Ian Chetland darted over for a try, Roberts converting on the half-hour. A curious incident resulted in Taylor being yellow-carded for foul play, Pointer adding the extras from near the Kenilworth 22. Another unconverted Loughborough try, following a slick move and by winger Ted Smeeth, was followed on the stroke of time by a riposte from Kenilworth. Pressure, instigated by good work from Rupert Cooper, led to a penalty. Chetland’s quick tap sent Roberts away for a try that he converted, to make the final score 37-24.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Clements, Wood, Chetland, Collett, Burnside, C. Brown, Phillips, Careless, Crandon, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Taylor, Noon, Carrick.

Two games, both defeats, this one heavy, is Kenilworth’s early form in Midlands One. Injuries prior to and during the match with the men from Wigston notwithstanding, this was a salutary lesson, which emphasized the gulf between the top two divisions of rugby in the region. While the most positive aspect of the home side’s game was their scrummaging, slow ball and an inability to go through more than two phases scuppered the chances of their nimble backs of breaching the defence of a physical and well-organised South Leicester side, whose fly-half Lord, effectively controlled their game with a series of astute kicks.

Indeed, Lord was on the score sheet after just two minutes, when the Ks strayed offside. With little shape to their game, Kenilworth allowed their robust opponents too much room. Following a mammoth touch-finder – 22-22 from Lord, centre Armstrong went close, then flanker Taddick crossed for a try, Lord adding the extras after 10 minutes. James Burnside became the first Kenilworth casualty, Nick Smith replacing him. When the Ks were penalized for coming in from the side close to their own line, Lord inflicted more punishment on the quarter-hour.

It took until the start of the second quarter for the home side to make any real territorial impact. Reward came with a try in the left corner by Luke Brown, after Pete Roberts and Alex Taylor had sent James Hersey away. The captain failed to convert. A great tackle by Smith on second-row Davidson, and smart clearance by Gareth Renowden, saved what looked to be certain tries for the visitors. On the half-hour, Dan Crandon left the field injured, Dan Careless replacing him. A little more was seen of the Ks, before referee Mike Leavesley, who did not enjoy the best of games, blew for half-time. First, Smith stole lineout ball and sent Renowden away, but a knock-on ensued. The scrum-half was nearly over again, as was Taylor, before Hersey was bundled into touch just short of the line. However, the last word went to South Leicester, Lord effortlessly stroking another penalty goal, following perceived interference with play, to make the score 5-16 at the interval.

Within seconds of the restart, the Ks transgressed again, this time illegally playing the ball. The metronomic Lord needed no second invitation to slot over the penalty goal. The greater physicality of the visitors now began to tell, and there were several unseemly altercations. Following one of these, Dave Clements was forced to withdraw injured, Lee Cassell replacing him, Elliott Brown moving from full-back to wing. On the quarter hour, a rolling maul ended with another South Leicester converted try. Soon afterwards, they lost their No 7 to the sin-bin for deliberate offside. The extra man told, and it took an illegal shoulder-barge, unpunished by the referee, to dump Elliott Brown into touch, as he was about to dive over in the corner. The pressure told, and after 25 minutes, a perfectly-timed incursion into the line by Cassell sent him clear, following a good scrum and astute pass by Roberts. The replacement full-back added the conversion points. The last period of the game is best forgotten by Kenilworth. Extended by nearly 10 minutes due to a plethora of injuries on both sides, it featured two more converted South Leicester tries. The first came from winger Collins, the second Taddick, as strength and speed, aided by weak defence, were the order of the day. The final tally was 12-40.

Kenilworth: E Brown, Clements, Hersey, Taylor, L Brown, Roberts (Capt.), Renowden, Booth, Varney, Collett, Crandon, Phillips, Burnside, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Cassell, Smith, Careless.

A visit to Longton formerly meant a converted farm in rural surroundings. The club now resides on an elevated, exposed and sloping site, fashioned from colliery waste, in the remediated and redeveloped Trentham Lakes area of Stoke-on-Trent. In spite of slow ball from set pieces and unsure lineout work, this was a game that injury-hit Kenilworth could and should have won. They outplayed their hosts, who on this form will not be in the upper echelons of Midlands One this season, in most facets of the game, and were undone by a breakaway try, an over-indulgent referee, plus some close calls of their own.

After a very early penalty award to Longton for not rolling away, it was Kenilworth who enjoyed the better of the opening half-hour, with the Brown brothers, first Elliott and then Luke, making penetrating runs; Gareth Renowden, Pete Roberts and James Hersey setting up these and other chances, and Lee Cassell kicking effectively. The home side, playing with both slope and wind, kicked for the corners at every opportunity. One effort by centre Hughes made fully 50 metres to near the visitors’ line. However, good work by the Kenilworth forwards, chasing and spoiling, led to the breakdown of numerous moves. It was disappointing therefore, when following a technical offence at the lineout, Longton opened the scoring with a penalty goal by full-back Green on 32 minutes. Just prior to half-time, a great run to the line by Hersey was penalised as a double movement by referee Nick Cockburn.

Kenilworth immediately adopted the corner-kicking game at the start of the second half, Cassell doing the honours on numerous occasions. The action was more of the same, with Kenilworth looking most likely to score, and Longton attacks petering out as a result of poor handling and stout defence. Against this backdrop, it was doubly disappointing when Francis Nock went over the top in front of the Ks’ posts, thereby affording Green an easy three points. Nonetheless, more pressure by Kenilworth saw them take the lead after 13 minutes, with a try by Roberts, following a pass from Renowden and prior good work by the pack, Cassell adding the conversion points. Regrettably, it took just two minutes for Longton to regain the lead, and two more for them to extend it. First, crossing having been adjudged by Mr. Cockburn, Hughes’ long-range penalty attempt hit the crossbar and bounced over. Then, the same player, having completely miscued a kick in his own 22, saw it travel sideways towards an unmarked Luke Brown, elude him and be picked up by a speeding threequarter, who beat the cover to touch down. To rub salt into the wound, Hughes converted. Kenilworth responded, and with their pack still on top, a great tackle was needed to stop another run by Hersey. Shortly afterwards, a clever chip and chase by Elliott Brown was thwarted by the dead-ball line. Realising that they were in real danger of conceding, Longton became more physical and the exchanges became somewhat heated. After a bout of Kenilworth pressure, they were eventually penalised, Cassell slotting the penalty goal right at the end of normal time. Five added minutes, and more of the same, with Cassell instrumental in gaining territory into the Longton 22, unfortunately did not bear fruit. The final score, 16-10.

Kenilworth: Cassell, L Brown, Hersey, Noon, E Brown, Roberts (Capt.), Renowden, N. Collett, Varney, C. Collett, Phillips, Careless, Smith, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Raby, Price.

After Kenilworth’s troubled start to their Midlands One season, few expected them to get much from this encounter with their old rivals from Coventry. They were wrong. While a loss, it was narrow and in added time, after they had more than held their own, particularly up front, in a see-saw contest at the splendidly appointed Ivor Preece Field.

As anticipated, exchanges were hectic from the kick-off. A quick free kick by Rupert Cooper sent Pete Roberts away, but the ball went forward. Broadstreet relied heavily throughout on the excellent kicking of fly-half Danny Richards. At this stage of the game, it was the Ks who made most of the running. A James Hersey break, carried on by Dave Clements, ended with a high tackle. In Lee Cassell, Kenilworth also possessed an assured kicker. After No 8 Adie Nightingale had been penalised for lying on the ball, the full-back found a particularly good touch in the corner. However, it was Richards who drew first blood, popping over a penalty goal on the quarter hour after the visitors had strayed offside. Following a series of evenly contested exchanges, the fly-half extended Broadstreet’s lead with another penalty goal after 27 minutes, awarded by referee Masters for a scrummaging offence. Three minutes later, the visiting backs, hitherto not quite in their stride, clicked, and a trademark Hersey break was finished in style by a powerful Luke Brown run to the left corner, Cassell converting, to edge Kenilworth into the lead. Soon afterwards, and to the detriment of lineout work in particular, the influential Cooper had to retire with a leg injury, Brown moving to No 8 and Andy Whitehall coming in on the wing. Richards showed that he was not infallible when he narrowly missed two penalty goal attempts. Indeed, when Broadstreet were penalised for not rolling away just inside their own half, he was upstaged by Cassell, who calmly slotted home the goal, to extend the Ks’ lead to 6-10 at half time.

With just a couple of minutes gone of the second half, Broadstreet regained the lead with a try by flanker Nigel Mukarati, who exploited a major defensive lapse, Richards converting. A second high tackle on the elusive Clements saw Cassell plant another long-range penalty attempt just below the crossbar. However, on 11 minutes, he succeeded with another effort, after Broadstreet had killed the ball, to make the scores level. It took just two minutes for a reply; centre Nick Thatcher completing a splendid move by the home three-quarters, Richards again adding the extras. The action was now end-to-end.

It was the Ks who posted the next score after 21 minutes, a try by the speeding Jez Noon, converted by Cassell, the latter having started the move, which was carried on by Hersey. With the scores level once more, matters became tense, but there was no let up in the action. Broadstreet struck next with a Richards penalty goal for not releasing the ball on 26 minutes. A huge tackle by Clements was followed by a drop-goal attempt from Roberts. When a Broadstreet man joined the line illegally, Cassell levelled the scores once more after 35 minutes. A final assault by the home side, with their pack in rolling maul mode, nearly paid dividends, but came unstuck when Francis Nock stole the ball and raced clear, only to be hauled down in full flight for the line. In added time, with Broadstreet still pressing, the Ks failed to roll away in front of their posts, thereby giving Richards a simple chance to win the game. He duly obliged, to make the final score 26-23.

Kenilworth: Cassell, Clements, Noon, Hersey, Brown, Roberts (Capt.), Renowden, N. Collett, Davies, Hunter, Phillips, Careless, Smith, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: C. Collett, Whitehall, Raby.

Following two encouraging performances on the road, Kenilworth lost their way at home against the team that were runners-up to them in Midlands Two West last season. Another heavy defeat made it five successive losses on their return to Midlands One. Although still plagued by injuries and unavailability, the difference between a committed, powerful and well-organised Newport side and the men from Glasshouse Lane, was plain to see.

It only took five minutes for the visitors to open their account. A bout of pressure in the Ks’ 22 saw lock Ed Lawrence cross for an unconverted try. In fly-half Tomasi Tanumi, Newport possessed a fine kicker from hand. However, it was his opposite number, Lee Cassell, who drew first blood from the ground with a penalty goal on 10 minutes, which was awarded for offside. A try-saving tackle by debutant full-back Jeremy Pigou a couple of minutes later was followed by a Kenilworth offside, scrum-half Jamie Simpson opening his account with a penalty goal. Simpson then crossed for a try, but could not convert it, after the Ks had been penalised, first for not releasing, then talking back to referee Steve Penfold. Events leading to the score saw Francis Nock yellow-carded after 18 minutes. The home side then enjoyed a decent spell of pressure, with James Hersey, Gareth Renowden and Pigou notably on the attack, but the Newport defence held firm. Another penalty for not releasing saw Newport make ground and set up a try under the posts for winger Marc Millward, Simpson converting after 25 minutes. Another spell of Kenilworth pressure, with Hersey, Dave Clements and Andy Whitehall prominent, was effectively snuffed out. The remainder of the half was scrappy, with the men from Shropshire always in control.

A raft of changes by Ian Fergusson at half-time – Rhidian Booth for Nick Collett, Dom Carrick for Dan Crandon and John Raby for Jez Noon – made little difference to the pattern of play. However, it took 13 minutes for Newport to extend their lead, Simpson putting over another penalty goal after one of his colleagues had been illegally taken out. Five minutes into the final quarter, the impressive Tanumi went over, Simpson adding the extras. The Ks were effectively shut out of the game, and it took a typical battling, sniping run by skipper Renowden to gain a consolation try a few minutes later. A short, better spell ensued for Kenilworth, when first Renowden, then Booth, made good ground. Not surprisingly, the final points went to Newport, full-back Watisoni Leqeti crossing for a converted try just prior to the final whistle, at which the score was 8-37.

Kenilworth: Pigou, Clements, Noon, Hersey, Whitehall, Cassell, Renowden (Capt.), Collett, Smith, Hunter, Phillips, Careless, Brown, Nock, Crandon. Replacements: Raby, Booth, Carrick.

A sojourn in far-away Scunthorpe (and it was sunny), saw a still below full-strength Kenilworth finally get off the mark in Midlands One, with a narrow victory over their fellow early-season strugglers from Lincolnshire. Early dominance by the visitors at the pleasant Heslam Park should, in the view of coach Ian Fergusson, have seen the game buried by half-time. However, Scunthorpe, using a powerful, if ageing pack, turned the screw in the second period.

The first quarter was all Kenilworth. It took 10 minutes for them to open their account, fly-half Chris Brown manoeuvring himself clear to touch down after good work from deep by Jeremy Pigou. The fly-half’s conversion attempt rebounded from a post. A poor pass spoilt more good work by Pigou, before further pressure by the K’s near the home line resulted in a five-metre scrum. Following this, Chris Brown once again spotted a gap to cross for his second try, which he converted on 20 minutes, to stretch the lead. With the writing now on the wall, Scunthorpe adopted a tight game plan. It paid off within five minutes, when following a rolling maul in the Kenilworth 22, the ball was released to scrum-half David Westhead, who went over in the right corner, full-back Tim Robinson converting the try. A robust challenge on Dave Clements resulted in a shoulder injury, with which he was later forced to retire, John Raby replacing him. Two charges by Rupert Cooper nearly paid dividends, as did a chip-and-chase by Andy Whitehall. Robinson missed a penalty goal attempt after referee David Stephens had marched the Ks back 10 metres for complaining about a previous award. It was the excellent Chris Brown who slotted the final points of the half, after Scunthorpe were penalised in front of their posts.

The second half started in just the way Kenilworth did not want – with a try by elusive winger Rewiti Viamoso - preceded by a forward pass and aided by a series of missed tackles. The conversion was unsuccessful, but Robinson drew the scores level after 10 minutes with a penalty goal, when the Ks went offside in front of their posts. Skipper Gareth Renowden now became more influential, but it was the powerful Alex Taylor, with two splendid breaks, who set up tries, the first for James Hersey, the second for Raby, on 12 and 16 minutes, both converted by Chris Brown, who was instrumental in stretching Kenilworth’s lead. Chris Collett, solid as ever in the front row, was replaced by Ciaran Price, as the forward battle intensified. It was the Scunthorpe pack that had the next say, a try by Andy Fish, which followed a drive near the Ks’ line, Robinson converting on 20 minutes. This, followed shortly afterwards by a smart drop-goal by fly-half Gareth Penn, reduced the difference to just four points in favour of the visitors. On the half-hour this widened, when Chris Brown, having once more hit a post - this time with a penalty attempt - was successful with another. It closed again five minutes later, when Robinson replied in kind. During the last 10 minutes, power play by the home pack and desperate defence by the visitors, saw Cooper yellow-carded for persistent infringement. Amidst this, there was another incisive run by Pigou, but little else in the way of attacking play by Kenilworth. Indeed, it was Scunthorpe who nearly snatched victory at the death, a run by Viamoso being halted just short of the line. The final score 28-32.

Kenilworth: Pigou, Clements, Hersey, Taylor, Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden (Capt.), N. Collett, Smith, C. Collett, Phillips, Carrick, L. Brown, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Price, Raby, Cassell.

A second successive narrow victory and nail biting, see-saw encounter, enabled Kenilworth to extricate themselves from the bottom three in Midlands One. Once more, it was a game that they should have won more comfortably, conceding both a decent lead and gifting their visitors from the eastern flanks of the Chiltern Hills the majority of their points by way of a catalogue of errors and indiscretions.

A lively opening by the Ks was highlighted by an Andy Whitehall break, intelligent kicking from fly-half Chris Brown and a run by winger Luke Brown. Just reward came when a superb quick pass by Chris Brown to Whitehall sent the speedy left-winger away for an unconverted try in the corner after eight minutes. A few minutes later, the first of numerous mistakes by Kenilworth – this a James Hersey kick ahead that went astray – set up a converted try for Dunstablians. Then, loose play and a dropped ball by the Ds saw the alert Whitehall seize it and race away for his second try, Chris Brown converting on 16 minutes. Referee Gareth Masters was kept busy by a steady stream of errors and infringements by both sides. The visiting pack now began to exert more influence. Driving mauls, with which their opposite number was uncomfortable all afternoon, were to the fore. However, it was the Ks who next benefited, with a penalty goal by Chris Brown after 25 minutes, because the ball was not released in front of the posts. Dunstablians lost their influential fly-half with a leg injury, and two minutes later had a man sin-binned for deliberate obstruction, once more in front of the posts. Chris Brown obliged with the penalty goal, to open up an 11 point lead after 38 minutes. This was cancelled out just a minute later, when following another piece of Kenilworth foul play, the replacement fly-half made light of a difficult kick. As the half concluded, Rupert Cooper was yellow-carded for lying on the ball in his 22, as the visitors sought to further close the gap. In added time, Chris Brown was just wide with a long-range penalty attempt after the Ds had strayed offside.

The penalty count continued at the start of the second half. Within two minutes, the Dunstablians’ fly-half slotted another goal, after a series of errors forced Kenilworth to desperately defend. The Ks’ backs were seeing plenty of the ball, but making little progress. Gareth Renowden and Hersey ran into trouble on a number of occasions. It was then Chris Brown’s turn to have a bad patch, first missing a kickable penalty, and soon afterwards, losing control of the ball in the in-goal area, thereby allowing a Dunstablian to touch down for a converted try, which edged the men from Bedfordshire into the lead after seven minutes. The Ks responded. Jeremy Pigou, Alex Taylor and Hersey featured in a good move, then Renowden was nearly over, after a Dunstablians scrum was taken in their own 22. Dan Careless replaced Dom Carrick in the second row after 10 minutes. Two scores in the next six minutes saw Kenilworth re-establish the lead. First, good pressure saw the Ds stray offside, Chris Brown putting over the penalty goal. A smart move with Luke Brown, Hersey and Pigou prominent, followed, and saw the latter give Whitehall a perfect scoring pass that enabled him to complete his hat-trick. Chris Brown missed a difficult conversion from near the left touchline. Mistakes and illegalities continued to the fore. Dunstablians concentrated on driving mauls; one such resulting in a converted try on 26 minutes, which regained the lead. After Pete Roberts had replaced Taylor, and Renowden seen his side marched back another 10 metres because he had argued with Mr. Masters about a penalty award, this was stretched by a penalty goal, again coolly taken by the substitute fly-half. With five minutes of normal time remaining, a Chris Brown penalty goal for offside reduced Dunstablians’ lead to the narrowest of margins. In added time, it was the wily old heads of Rob Varney and Matt Davies, who firstly set up a drive in front of the Ds’ posts, then induced yet one more indiscretion, to afford Chris Brown a match-winning penalty kick.

Kenilworth: Pigou, L. Brown, Hersey, Taylor, Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden (Capt.), Davies, Varney, C. Collett, Phillips, Carrick, Smith, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Noon, Roberts, Careless.

Last season was revisited at convivial and sunny Putnoe Woods. This outstanding performance by Kenilworth, a third victory in succession that lifted them into mid-table in Midlands One, was characterized by the traits which saw them take the Two West Division by storm in 2006-7. A solid performance by the forwards, accompanied by slick handling by the backs, with skilful interplay between the two units, summarily dispatched Bedford Athletic, a club with substantial credentials at both this and a higher level in English Rugby Union.

Kenilworth looked solid from the outset, but it was Bedford who opened the scoring on 10 minutes with a penalty goal by fly-half Prinsloo that followed a deliberate offside by Francis Nock, which saw him sent to the sin-bin by referee Towers. Two minutes later, the scores were level. An initial break by James Hersey, then a solid scrum, afforded Chris Brown a drop-goal chance that he effortlessly put over. In particular, the pace and guile of Andy Whitehall and Jeremy Pigou caused havoc in the ranks of the Ath. Having decided to try and play a tight game in response, they conceded a penalty for offside in their own 22, and Chris Brown obliged with the goal on 20 minutes. Four minutes later, a stunning break by Pigou, carried on by Pete Roberts and Hersey, sent Whitehall speeding away for a try, converted by Chris Brown. Following an exchange of penalties, and an immense tackle by Luke Brown to halt flanker Mills in full flight, Pigou again was the instigator of a lovely move by the backs that saw Whitehall cross for his second try, Chris Brown converting it to open up a sizeable lead for the Ks after 35 minutes. The remainder of the half saw two more converted tries for Kenilworth, both by Francis Nock, in support of dazzling back play, and each following a break by Gareth Renowden. At half-time the score was 3-34.

The visitors’ fire was not extinguished during the interval. Within a minute of the restart, the ball went through six pairs of hands and reached Luke Brown, who crossed for a try that Chris Brown converted. Realizing that they were being overwhelmed, to their credit, the Ath responded with a good spell of pressure. Within five minutes, they clawed back some ground with a converted try by scrum-half Ireland, whose passage to the line, down the short side after a set piece, was unimpeded. On the quarter-hour, a neat break by Prinsloo, who had earlier concentrated on kicking, was finished by centre Elphick, the fly-half converting his try. Dom Carrick replaced Dan Careless, as Bedford’s revival began to peter out. A shuddering tackle just short of the line halted a great run by Hersey. The alert and accurate Chris Brown dropped another goal after 20 minutes and kicked a penalty three minutes later, to effectively kill the game. Rob Varney was introduced in place of Matt Davies, and Alex Taylor replaced Luke Brown. The visitors’ back play still dazzled, and nearly resulted in two more tries, before Renowden crossed for an unconverted one on 28 minutes. Mr. Towers then showed the yellow card to Mills for offside. While he was absent, Prinsloo secured the last points of the game with a drop goal. In the closing minutes, more Kenilworth attacks and strong Bedford defence led to the only unseemly activity of a hitherto sporting encounter – a fracas on the ground that saw the referee instruct the captains to call their teams together.

Kenilworth: Pigou, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden, N. Collett, Davies, Hunter, Phillips, Careless, Smith, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Taylor, Varney, Carrick.

Following three successive wins, victory by a large margin at the expense of their bottom of the table and pointless visitors from the Black Country, might have seemed a formality. However, it was not until the closing stages that Kenilworth pulled well clear of an experimental Dudley Kingswinford side, whose collective effort did not match the skills of its individuals.

The early exchanges were even, with Chris Brown, Andy Whitehall, Jeremy Pigou and James Hersey prominent in Kenilworth attacks. Nick Collett was sent to the sin-bin on 14 minutes for illegal use of the boot, following a penalty that visiting Uruguayan referee Eduardo Blengioe had initially awarded to the Ks for offside. His absence mattered not, as four minutes later, a drive by the pack ended with a try for Matt Davies, Chris Brown’s conversion going narrowly wide. Kiaran Price, on filling the front row vacancy, stole the ball from a DK scrum, to set up another bout of pressure. This was rewarded, when after 26 minutes, an archetypal Hersey break was finished in style by Rupert Cooper, Chris Brown converting the try. The Kenilworth scrummage was doing well, turning the visitors through 90 degrees on several occasions. On the back of this dominance, Cooper was nearly over twice more, firstly foiled by a knock-on, and then unable to finish cleanly following a rolling maul. There was no addition to the 12-0 scoreline at half time.

After a bright initial spell at the start of the second half, with Pigou instigating a number of moves with mazy runs, it was DK’s turn to exert some pressure. The exchanges were scrappy, but the visiting forwards assumed centre stage for most of the third quarter, and their two most effective backs, centre Carl Robinson and left-wing Adam Connif made inroads into the Ks’ defence. A penalty goal by fly-half Pete Stinton after 19 minutes was all they had to show for this effort. The home side gradually assumed control once more, as DK both tired and began to panic under pressure, once hurling the ball aimlessly dead from within their in-goal area. Gareth Renowden sent Whitehall away, but he was hauled down just short of the line. On the half-hour, a lovely move with Pete Roberts and Pigou prominent, released Luke Brown to the line, Chris Brown converting his try. Four minutes later, the Ks’ captain and his full-back combined once again. This time Whitehall was the recipient of the scoring pass; Chris Brown once more adding the conversion points. Jez Noon and Alex Taylor were introduced in place of Dom Carrick and Whitehall. Kenilworth were rampant. Luke Brown was deliberately held back as he made for the line once more, but no one could stop Noon going over in the corner following a neat offload by Dan Careless. Chris Brown’s conversion attempt had the direction, but not the distance. The game concluded with a thrilling passage of play by the Ks’ backs. Roberts and Taylor powered through the DK defence, but the final ball went forward. At Mr Blengioe’s final whistle, the score was 31-3.

Kenilworth: Pigou, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden, Collett, Davies, Hunter, Careless, Carrick, Phillips, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Noon, Taylor, Price.

Kenilworth began their Cup run with an outing at Nuneaton O.E's, which, apart from a tendancy to indulge opposition strengths instead of concentrating on their own areas of advantage, resulted in a bucketful of tries all converted by James Peacock.

Captain Charlie Brown opened K's account within sixty seconds driving over Nun's line, Andy Winter followed in style 3 minutes later and John Raby added his try after 4 minutes.

Nuneaton recovered slightly and ended a period of battling forward confrontation with an unconverted score. Reacting to this set back Charlie Buckle set off on a blistering breakaway which ended under the posts by Ben Rand and a halftime 5 - 28 scoreline.

Nuneaton restarted and after 10 minutes of scrambled forward action went over for their second try which was converted.Charlie Brown wasn't having this, his pass to Alex Stanojevic began a dazzling run to the post and another Kenilworth try. The home spirits were aided as Ken's persisted in confronting them up front, but to no avail as the visitors finally saw sense which resulted in moving the ball for their sixth score.

Nuneaton forwards, however, had the last score as they struggled for a final, but unconverted try.

Those present within the splendidly appointed facilities and most welcoming atmosphere of Mortimer Park, located at the end of a long and winding road, close to the Welsh border, witnessed a truly gritty performance by Kenilworth, against a side who had topped Midlands One earlier in the season. In a low-scoring game, played in cold, wet and windy conditions, and short of some first-choice members of the pack, they not only held Luctonians, but also fought back from a 12-0 deficit to earn a draw. Indeed, had a very difficult conversion attempt on the stroke of normal time not rebounded from the crossbar, they could have come away from deepest Herefordshire with both points.

In the difficult conditions, and with the wind and slope against them, the hosts adopted a forward-based approach. After a spell of untidy play by both sides, a decent passage by Lucs saw their flanker King finish a handling move and cross for an unconverted try after eight minutes. The visitors, whose forwards had already lost a substantial number of scrums and lineouts, were much happier when their backs received the ball. Dave Clements carried on a Chris Brown break before it fizzled out in the home 22. On 20 minutes, an already depleted Ks front row suffered a further blow when Ed Hunter was forced to retire with a neck injury. Kieran Price replaced him. Five minutes later, after a penalty award had been inadvisably run, Brown placed a second just wide of the posts. Both sides were workmanlike and the game unspectacular. Disruption was the order of the day, not least via the whistle of referee Paul Baynes, who sent Lucs’ No 8 Hulland to the sin-bin after 35 minutes, for not rolling away. In the time remaining to the interval, including five extra minutes, two James Hersey breaks came to nothing, and a long-range penalty attempt by Brown drifted across the front of the posts.

At the start of the second half, an Andy Whitehall mark and clearance by Brown averted danger, as the home pack began to impose themselves once more, with driving mauls to the fore. They nearly scored from one, but had to be content with a five-metre scrum. As the Lucs assault continued, Mr Baynes yellow-carded Francis Nock for kicking the ball out of a set-piece after 13 minutes. It took just three minutes for them to add to their tally, Hulland claiming the try following a push-over, scrum-half James converting it. The withdrawal of Jez Noon and Price, introduction of Dom Carrick and Alex Taylor, and a re-shuffle by coach Ian Fergusson, paid immediate dividends. Greater penetration through the middle saw a break by Brown carried on by Pete Roberts and Taylor. The ball reached Whitehall, whose run, laced with speed and skill, resulted in a wonderful try out wide, to which Brown added an excellent conversion on 22 minutes. After Rob Varney had been pinged for boring in, James missed a relatively easy penalty chance, which would have opened a two-score gap for Lucs. Immediate pressure from the Ks, with Taylor again in the van, saw Whitehall, once more at his best, narrowly fail to add a second spectacular try to his tally. However, a knock-on by the home side, in their desperation to clear the danger, led to Gareth Renowden executing a swift pass from the resulting scrum, that Roberts took and powered over in the right corner, as the clock read 40 minutes. With all holding their breath, Brown’s conversion attempt rattled the bar and bounced into play. Referee Baynes somehow found eight extra minutes to add. During these, incessant pressure by Lucs was nullified by excellent Kenilworth defence.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, Clements, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Noon, Brown, Renowden, C. Collett, Varney, Hunter, Phillips, Careless, Smith, Nock, Cooper. Replacements: Taylor, Carrick, Price.

Home supporters left the ground in a "shell-shocked" atmosphere, what seemed to be another successful league fixture developed into absolute despair as Peterborough gratefully accepted two scoring gifts within two minutes. Heads suddenly came up and to the visitors credit, so did the standard of ther rugby. Kenilworth's 30 -7 lead was whittled away as the final whistle shrilled for a Peterborough victory 36 - 38.

Luck, it seemed, was not on Kenilworth's side today, within a couple of minutes Hunter retired with a recurrence of last weeks neck injury. The visitor's strength "up-front" became apparent, pressurising the home territory. Fortunately, a penalty to "K's" was slotted by Chris Brown, nevertheless, P'boro. re-applied forward domination in the home "22" but a second penalty converted by Brown gave a breathing spell which allowed "K's" to settle into their stride and play to their own advantage. From the restart, Renowden cleared well upfield to touch, then quick ball to Brown a super long missed pass gave Whitehall enough room to go in for a corner try which was superbly converted by Brown. Despite a "gutsy response by P'boro which used the forward strength scoring an unconverted try in the corner to reduce the lead. The extra cushion and it's confidence boost began a period of Kenilworth rugby, which was fully appreciated by the spectators, another successful penalty from Brown widened the gap to 16 - 7. Kenilworth were weathering the visitors forward surges and countering with quick threequarter moves which clearly unsettled the opposition. A scrum well within P'boro's "22" almost paid off, Renowden chipped delicately over the pack, chased after the ball, but was fractionally pipped under the post as the halftime whistle blew.

Home spirits ran high, as the visitors heads dropped, Renowden unopposed from the "22" went under the posts for Brown to add the conversion. The try of the match followed from a quick penalty by Cooper, the ball swept along the "threes" to Whitehall on the wing, Hersey in support, took the inside pass and when challenged sent Renowden on, dummying the full back to complete the move under the posts. Brown duly added the conversion. Kenilworth, 30 - 7 up, seemed home and dry, but the fickle lady luck had her say - firstly, a kick ahead was fumbled and quick P'boro support kicked on and won the touch down under the post which was converted. Two minutes later visiting heads rose sharply as the another fortuitous situation was appreciatively accepted giving the winger a clear run to the corner for another converted score. Kenilworth disappointment was slightly alleviated as Brown slotted a penalty but rampant forward play by the visitors moved closer to the home try line. A well worked cross kick to the corner gave the fullback an unconverted try. Persistence up front gradually worked closer and closer excitement grew as Peterborough crossed for a converted pushover which equalled the score. K's responded well, going for the line and recovering the lead as Brown cooly kicked another penalty. But in vain, as the visitors resorted, sensibly, to their power play, gradually working back upfield towards the home line and the inevitable corner score to level, and the excellent conversion to snatch victory in the 41st minute.

Despite two simultaneous yellow cards and a red Kenilworth cruised into the semi final with a six try performance in difficult and blustery conditions.

Neat lineout ball was passed across the backs for an early Andy Fox try, not converted. This was soon followed by an impressive Jez Noon try, unconverted, following a good take by Charlie Brown from an OL’s penalty which failed to find touch. Another turnover ball to K’s and centre Jez Noon ran in his second try converted by James Peacock (17-0). A superb take and dashing run by colt scrum half Andy Winters from the kick off presented the ball to second row Mark Powell only for the ball to be dropped close to the line. Two quickfire yellow cards saw K’s reduced to 13 men – scrum half Andy Winters for obstructing his opposite number and No8 Paul Whitehurst for going over the top. OL’s then exerted pressure on K’s and were across the line only for the ball to be dropped. Half time 17-0.

Now back at full strength but against the strong wind the K’s opened up with an unconverted try with Aleks Stanojevic finishing off good work by Luke Brown and Andy Fox. Another try followed when flanker Steve Jacobs hit a lovely angle following a John Raby mazy run. Converted by Aleks Stanojevic. The final K’s try came from a bout of pressure on the OL’s line and a quick tapped penalty went to winger John Raby who crossed in the corner. Unconverted. Late in the game K’s skipper Andy Fox was red carded for showing dissent to the referee. Late on OL’s scored a forwards try to leave the final score 34-5 to Kenilworth.

Arriving at Dudley's open, exposed and freezing ground K's supporters thought they were in for a repeat of the Peterborough match, as DK were scoring a point a minute. Kenilworth mentally, were still on the coach and yet to arrive at the ground. But, and a big but, at the final whistle, Kenilworth, and the supporters came away after a superb fight back to deservedly win the contest. The game marked the debut of ex New Zealand Rugby League International Michael Smith at No8 and Bath Academy player Andrew Lawrence, both impressed.

Home fans, concious of their lowly league position, urged on their players who responded worthily, commanding all features of the game. Within 10 minutes, flowing threequarter moves had threatened and won a converted try. Six minutes later similar ball movement resulted in another try, this time unconverted. Despite K's efforts Dudley's "more of the same" mentality increased the score and the pressure as a forward breakaway and excellent support to the posts for a converted try and a 19 - 0 situation within 21 minutes. Taylor came on as a blood substitute for Hersey, immediately affecting the game. Thankfully, desperate and pugnacious, resolve from the visitors began to have an effect as Kenilworth, metaphorically began to arrive at the ground. No more scoring from Dudley and after a quarter hour of 50 - 50 give and take Kenilworth finally opened their account moving the ball wide through the backs for Whitehall to cross and Brown to convert for the half-time 19 - 7 scoreline. Hersey re-appeared and Taylor departed the scene.

Kenilworth' interval huddle seemed to have had an effect, a more agressive approach settled in the home half and after 3 minutes a pressurised penalty resulted in Brown increasing K's total. This turnaround continued, Renowden swung out a swift pass, Brown's missed pass sent Roberts away on the parabola around the defence for a super corner try which Brown failed to convert. Suddenly the atmosphere changed, everyone became aware that Kenilworth could possibly come away with a result, encouraging shouts from the away supporters galvanised increasing raids into home territory which were stoutly resisted. However an isolated breakaway from Dudley surged into K's "22" and eventually won a penalty which was duly converted to temporarily dampen Kenilworth's ardour and a 22-15 scoreline to DK. Dan Crandon replaced Dom Carrick and spirits rose again as Brown (following discussions with the ref on how much time was left) coolly converted an infringement by Dudley reducing the differential to 4 points with only injury time to go. Taylor reappeared replacing Glendenning-Fenton and Luke Brown replaced Clements. Kenilworth gathered the restart moving upfield in a series of breakaways and lucky fumbles by Dudley taken on by Andy Whitehall until hooker Mat Davies was one of three players who could have gathered the ball and crossed the line, Brown's kick slid past the post. Kenilworth then weathered fierce DK pressure for a redoutable come back, nearly scoring another try when a Luke Brown interception was halted by a tremendous DK tackle!

In, what could have passed for a remake of the classic film 300 the Lags (and Lads ) (for which read Spartans) overcame the gnarled Pirate armies led by Captain Xerxes Hunt by 58 points to 22. For Thermopylae read Glasshouse Lane!

There was a new look to the Lags. Either they had gone in for a 12 month regime of protein drinks liposuction and steroids, or there had been mass recruitment of an altogether different calibre of athletes. The surnames were the same - Jones, Jones, Shore, Brown, Salt, Rapley, Clifford, Bladon, Harrison, Hobbins etc., but their body shapes were those of inverted pyramids not inverted beer barrels. A new generation of Rugby legends blew away the Forces of Darkness in a free flowing extravanganza of running Rugby.

The weather was kind. It was cold but dry and well above the freezing temperatures predicted. The amount of hot air generated before and during the game also, no doubt, served to warm the atmosphere.

It was clear from the outset that this was an altogether different Lags team from the usual squad made up from the "before" side of a weightwatchers advert! The Lags and Little Lags ran everything with Scrum Half - Joe Shore, Fly Half - Hugh Jones and Centres - Hayden Sarjeant and Matt Cooper outstanding. Winger Andy Winter unfortunately had to leave the field early on following a clash of heads or what looked like the application of too much red "lippy" to his top lip. Luke Brown moved from the Back Row onto the left wing and immediatley opened his legs and showed his class to score from 80 metres out. He was subsequently dropped for an excess of talent!

Only a few American football style forward passes prevented further scores in the first 5 minutes. Once they got into their stride there was no stopping the Lags & Lads and tries were piled on through Matt Cooper (3) James Rapley (2) Tommy Harrison (2), Matt - the Teacher from Bablake (1) Lewis Jones (1) and a host of others. Indeed, the scoring mounted too quickly to record !

In the last quarter of the game, after some diplomatic substitutions by Cap'n PAG, the Pirates came into the game and brought the final score to a respectable 58-20.

Andrew Bladon suffered, apparently, quite serious concussion, but was happy as he was going to see The Pogues that evening, and apparently reported that all the tracks were new releases! Popular local character Sam Kincaid had the misfortune to have an airbag explode under his top lip and was later seen trying to unstick himself from a window he had accidentally walked into.

Further heroic injuries including Pirates Back Row Forward Alan Jones who received a nasty cut to his leg as a result of a ferocious tackle from his nephew, Lewis Jones! He was subsequently stitched up and returned to the club for a pint before close of play. However, the four people who stretchered him off the field are now in hospital recovering from serious back and neck injuries! All in all, a splendid day of Rugby.

Both sides did their best to enliven the dank dreary weather conditions, and although the final result seemed a one sided contest the actual game was anything but, Sutton contested everything until the final whistle.

Kenilworth were soon into their stride, Jez Noon given room by James Hersey outpaced the defence to score wide for an unconverted try. Minutes later Noon repeated his dash, this time going under the post for Chris Brown to add the conversion. Hersey broke out but his loose pass was driven on and Ben Rand completed the move. Chris Brown duly added the conversion. Sutton covered a chip and chase by Clements, countered to the visitors "22" encamping within Kenilworth territory until Booth, revelling in the freedom as No. 8 broke out, moving the ball through Crandon to Stanovicz and the eventual scorer Clements for an unconverted try. Sutton raised their game restricting the vistors to a try-less quarter hour, but the shackles were broken Booth's breakaway from the scrum, Renowden, as ever on hand, fed Stanojevic who burst through the cover to the posts, Brown again added the conversion. S. C.'s restart gathered by Booth set the threequarters away, a switch of direction for Hersey to send Clements on for his second try, Brown's kick bouncing off the posts. K's forwards entering into the running game supporting Nock and Collett, Noon's touchline dash was held just short, but Careless was on hand to pick up and cross the line. Brown added the points. Sutton's restart was immediately returned as Careless finished a super movement for his second, Brown again added the conversion. In first half injury time Kenilworth gained the home "22" and Renowden darted from the scrum to score, Brown's conversion added the points for a 0 - 57 halftime scoreline.

Pressure was reapplied as Sutton's restart to Stanojevic was taken on by a 50 metre Crandon breakaway into home ground, unrelenting attack and the eventual break by Nock set Noon on course for his hat-trick and Brown's conversion. Sutton were soon on the back foot as Nock drove onward, unfortunately for the home team their clearance kick was charged down and regathered by Elliott Brown to score, Chris Brown coverted. Despite the pounding Sutton rallied once more, another ten minute scoreless period ensued until an attacking kick was fielded by Elliott Brown, his counterattack outpaced the defence as he ran straight through the middle grounding the ball under the crossbar for a simple Chris Brown conversion. Sutton Coldfields restart once again gathered by Nock and taken on by Roberts almost succeeded but Sutton's counter to the halfway went dreadfully awry as the ball was passed to Chris Collett, the wrong man, who went untouched to the posts for Brown to add another conversion. Nock again took the restart, Nick Collett, not to be outdone by brother Chris, made significant ground and the resulting territorial advantage paid, as a long missed pass to Chris Brown gave him his try which he duly converted. This time the restart was fielded by Roberts and his sally, aided and abetted by his countryman Cranford, and Clements led to Kenilworth's final score as Ben Rand went over for his second try, once again converted by Chris Brown and a 0 - 97 victory.

Another close encounter in Midlands One, further testimony that there is little between the majority of teams in this highly competitive Division. Kenilworth came out on top, thereby completing the double over their visitors, upon whom they had inflicted a heavy defeat earlier in the season. No doubt mindful of the latter, a fired-up Ath can count themselves unlucky not to have left Glasshouse Lane with at least a share of the spoils.

With a biting wind in their favour, Kenilworth did not make the best of starts in the face of an onslaught by the men from the south-eastern extremity of the region. First, a poor clearance kick by Scott Clendenning-Fenton increased the pressure. Then, when the impressive visiting pack were about to drive over the home line, they lost Dan Careless, who was sent to the sin-bin by referee Steve Johnson, for not rolling away. The resulting penalty kick was dispatched by the fly-half. On 13 minutes, the lead was stretched. Following a splendid bout of handling and support by the forwards, flanker Mills crossed for a converted try. This roused the Ks'. Pete Roberts made two clever interceptions that set up threatening attacks, and Chris Brown made good ground with a series of penalties after the Ath pack had transgressed the laws. With their line under threat, the visitor's scrum-half was yellow-carded for foul play by Mr. Johnson after 26 minutes. Chris Brown put over the resulting penalty kick. The man advantage told. A powerful surge by Nick Smith set up a backs movement, and a perfectly timed pass from Clendenning-Fenton sent Andy Whitehall streaking away for an unconverted try in the left corner on the half-hour. Six minutes later, the alert Pete Roberts secured a loose ball and threw a long pass to Dave Clements. He obliged with a try that Chris Brown converted to take Kenilworth into the lead. On the stroke of normal time, Bedford scored a converted try after loose play by the Ks' had given them the ball. In that added, Chris Brown regained the lead at 18 -17 with a penalty goal, after an Ath player had come in from the side.

Kenilworth opened the second half as Ath had done the first. Breaks by Clendenning-Fenton and James Hersey took play close to the visitor's line. They maintained the ascendancy but another Hersey break was spoilt by a wild pass as the line beckoned. The home pack also upped he ante, and Andrew Lawrence made a bullocking run. Chris Brown stretched the lead with another penalty on 17 minutes, after a Bedford man had gone over the top. Ath responded and gave as good as they got. It took a great clearance by Chris Brown to avert what looked like a certain try. At the start of the final quarter, Clendenning-Fenton was replaced by Elliott Brown. The latter was soon in acton, as was Gareth Renowden, their darting runs the precursor to a scrum five. More Ks' pressure saw Ath forced to hold on to the ball illegally. The penalty award was meat and drink to Chris Brown. A surge by the forwards, with Nick Collett, Dan Crandon and Ian Phillips in the van, set up a promising position but the ball went forward. Darren Dean replaced Lawrence on the half-hour. Pete Roberts then capped an outstanding performance with a try under the posts,after the backs had spun the ball. Chris Brown added the conversion points to open up a sizeable lead. However, Ath hit back at once. A penalty to touch near the corner, lineout ball, and a subsequent drive by the pack, resulted in an unconverted try. In the ten minutes added by the referee, during which Careless was replaced by Bruce Roberts and Phillips sin-binned for taking the ball illegally,a Chris Brown drop goal looked to have put Kenilworth comfortably out of reach. Ath had other ideas. A driving maul concluded with a converted try in the right corner, and the result was in doubt until the last kick - fittingly, to touch by Chris Brown.

Kenilworth: Clendenning-Fenton, Clements, Hersey, P. Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden, Collett, Davies, Lawrence,Careless, Phillips, Smith, Nock, Crandon. Replacements: E. Brown, Dean, B. Roberts.

Kenilworth endured a torrid time at their home in Glasshouse Lane but entered the Warwickshire Cup final to defend the trophy won last year. Sutton must wonder why they did not capitalise on their possession and territorial advantage and must rue the opening 12 minutes when they conceded three tries to a rampant Kenilworth, all from Andy Fox.

Sutton took the lead from a poor Andy Fox clearance and SC won the lineout ball for K’s to concede an early penalty and a 0-3 lead. Enter Andy Fox in an attacking role when he combined well with scum half Jamie Peacock for an unconverted try from a scrum on the K’s 22. Within a minute an identical sequence of events resulted in a second try for Fox, again from the K’s 22 and well orchestrated by Peacock. Another scrum to K’s on the half way line fed Lee Cassell who then let Fox in for his third try within 12 minutes, converted by Cassell.

Following pressure by Sutton Peacock again orchestrated a break which sent winger John Raby away for a try finished off by Jai Purewal and converted by Lee Cassell for a 24-3 score-line. The remainder of the half was spent in Kenilworth territory with Sutton pressing hard but to no avail.

K’s winger John Raby was then yellow carded early in the second half for blatant offside and Sutton reduced the deficit with a forward orientated unconverted try. K’s responded with a superb Matt Cooper try under the posts converted by Lee Cassell. However Sutton came back strongly with a further two forward orientated tries, one converted to leave a score-line of 31-20 with five minutes remaining, and some anxious Kenilworth faces within the big watching crowd.

Clever K’s play increased the lead to 34-20 with a Lee Cassell penalty. In the closing stages K’s Charlie Brown and Chris Collett were both yellow carded but K’s saw out the game to record a 34-20 win and a place in the final for the second year running.

Delightful hospitality, dreadful weather, dismal performance, disastrous result. This sums up Kenilworth's excursion down the M1 to Bidwell Park, which ended in their heaviest defeat of the season in Midlands One. While the saturated pitch and incessant rain did not suit their prefered style of play, they can have no complaints, having been out-thought and out-fought by a Dunstablians team, who adapted well to the atrocious conditions.

The home side imposed themselves from the kick-off, and opened their account after four minutes with a try by lock Tom King. Influential fly-half Hayden Wolfbauer,who made the initial break, added the conversion points. Two minutes later, the other second-row, Sam Richbell, crossed for an unconverted try. Kenilworth belatedly awoke, and proceeded to spend the next quarter of an hour camped in the home half but without reward. An Andy Whitehall kick and chase ended in touch, as did a Francis Nock break that followed a surge by the pack. James Hersey then spilled the ball with the line in sight. Dunstablians kept their visitors at bay with some dubious tactics, those punished seeing Chris Brown dispatch a series of penalty kicks to touch.

One transgression earned a yellow card. Thus an unconverted twenty-third minute try by Steve Armstrong came against the run of play. Nock and Gareth Renowden made breaks, and a Chris Brown penalty attempt was just wide on the half-hour. Dunstablians lost Richbell to the sin-bin for not rolling away as the K's pack threatened their line. However, the man advantage did not accrue points, errors and wrong options being the order of the day.

A 17-0 half-time deficit prompted Ian Fergusson to begin changes in personnel. Scott Clendenning-Fenton was withdrawn, Whitehall moving to full-back, and Luke Brown coming on to the left wing. It was to no avail, and within five minutes of the restart, a penalty goal by Wolfbauer and try by Soren Brobyskov effectively ended the contest. Darren Dean replaced Chris Collett. Nock was yellow-carded for foul play on 17 minutes.Dunstablians took advantage of his absence, and a forward drive brought another unconverted try at the start of the final quarter. A last ditch tackle by Chris Brown saved what looked like another score before Wolfbauer added a penalty goal. Luke Brown held up his man to prevent a try, but two converted ones followed as the K's defence went walkabout. Alex Taylor, on in place of Dave Clements, added some muscle to sporadic Kenilworth attacks. In added time, and with their most fluent move of the match, he and Hersey combined to send in Luke Brown for a consolation try wide on the left.

Kenilworth: Clendenning-Fenton, Cements, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, Chris Brown, Renowden, Nick Collett, Davies, Chris Collett, Careless, Phillips, Smith, Nock, Crandon. Replacements: Luke Brown, Taylor, Dean.

Kenilworth won a tight contest to progress to the last 16 of the National Colts plate competition.

The game started brightly for the K’s who won a steady stream of ball which fly half Tom Palmer used astutely to keep play in the opposition half.

The forwards ably led by skipper Ross Lowthian maintained the pressure and after 10 minutes N0 8 Matt Cooper was able to peel off, from a rolling maul, and charge over for an excellent try under the posts. Tom Palmer added the conversion.

The home side began to play with real confidence moving the ball quickly and bringing wingers Alex Clohessy and Alex Pittaway into the game. Full back Kris Gill was also getting into the line and it was from his break, stopped by an illegal high tackle, that Kenilworth added further points from the resulting penalty.

The visitors started to come into the game more but excellent Kenilworth tackling kept them at bay. Midway through the first half flanker Ollie Burman was forced to leave the pitch with a nasty cut to the head. Subsequent hospital treatment resulted in his skull being glued back together.

With minutes to go to half time stand off Tom Palmer was also forced from the field with concussion. As the competition rules do not allow rolling substitutes the home team wanted to give the influential player every chance of returning. However, the visitors took full advantage of their numerical supremacy to break blind from a scrum and score in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful.

The second half started with Northampton in control. An unfortunate sin bin for the outstanding Andy Bladon kept the K’s on the back foot. However despite a much greater share of possession the visitors could not break down the home defence.

Even worse was to follow for Kenilworth when flanker Seb Holt dislocated his knee and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Both Seb and Ollie suitably immobilised and glued managed to get back to the club for last orders.

The second half seemed to go on for ever as wave after wave of Northampton attacks were repulsed by a magnificent defensive effort. The whole squad gave their all and for sheer guts and determination deserved their victory.

It was hoped that last week's loss in the foothills of the Chilterns was mainly down to the awful conditions, albeit with the suspicion that the home side wanted it more. However, on a pitch in good shape, this unexpected and painful reverse for Kenilworth called into question both their physical capacity and nous to cope with the rigours of Midlands One rugby. Scunthorpe, languishing near the foot of the table, not a good side, and without a win on their travels this season, made the men from Glasshouse Lane look decidedly second-best with a non-stop, powerful, battling performance that peaked after half-time, and saw them rarely leave home territory during that period.

Matters started well for the Ks. They took the lead after 10 minutes, when a shrewd Gareth Renowden pass released Luke Brown, whose strength and pace combined to see him over for a try under the posts. With a cross-wind gusting, Chris Brown missed what for him would have been a routine conversion. Scunthorpe lost one of their back-row trio with a nasty-looking injury on the quarter-hour, just prior to Kenilworth straying offside in front of heir own posts. Full-back Robinson converted the penalty goal attempt. Referee Leo Burton was quick to penalize both sides for a variety of offences, leading to disjointed play. The visitors settled for a short-passing game,which gained them good ground. Following one of several surges by their pack close to the Ks 22, a Dave Clements pick-up, run and touch-kick saved the day. The home lead increased courtesy of a Chris Brown penalty goal on 27 minutes, after Mr. Burton had spotted Scunthorpe hands providing assistance to the ball on the floor. Six minutes later, James Hersey finally broke his shackles, but a pass to Clements, in the clear, went astray. Nonetheless, just prior to half-time, the two of them interpassed neatly, with Hersey the final recipient. He crossed wide on the left. Aided by an upright, Chris Brown slotted the difficult conversion to stretch the lead to 15-3 at the interval.

A powerful run to a promising position by Alex Taylor directly following the start of he second half proved a false dawn for Kenilworth. Andy Whitehall was soon in acton with a try-saving tackle. Nick Smith and Nick Collett combined to avert further danger and make some ground within their own half, as Scunthorpe turned the screw. Thus it was no surprise, when on 18 minutes, with the K's defence sucked in, a long pass to left-winger Valmoso sent him clear, Robinson converting the try. With the game slipping away, a major reshuffle by Ian Fergusson came at the start of the final quarter. Scott Clendinning-Fenton was introduced at full-back, Whitehall moved to the right wing, Smith to hooker and Luke Brown into the back row. His plans were thwarted a few minutes later, when the combative Taylor was forced to retire with a leg injury, Dom Carrick entering the back-row and Luke Brown resuming duties on the wing. It was all Scunthorpe now, and it took another charge by the lively Nick Collett to gain ground following a bout of serious pressure that had lasted fully fifteen minutes. More of the same ensued, but the Ks managed to successfully defend until added time. Then, with more desperate defending to do, interspersed with a succession of penalties against them, and almost on their own line, Andrew Lawrence was sin-binned. The extra man proved fatal. A try under the posts, converted by Robinson, and Scunthorpe, agonizingly but deservedly, had won by two points.

Kenilworth. Whitehall, L. Brown, Taylor, Hersey, Clements. C. Brown, Renowden (Capt.), N. Collett, Dean, Lawrence, Phillips, Careless, Smith, Nock, Crandon. Replacements: Clendenning-Fenton, Chris Collett, Carrick.

After a contest worthy of the two premier junior rugby clubs in the county, Kenilworth ran out narrow winners against Broadstreet in the Second Team Cup Final, played in near-perfect conditions at Old Coventrians. In a re-run of last year’s final, the cup-holders, trailing 17-0 at the end of he first quarter, and seemingly down and out to a rampant second-string from the Ivor Preece Field, gradually hauled themselves back into the game, drawing level by the end of 80 minutes, then wrapping it up in the second ten-minute period of extra time.

Although deprived of the services of fly-half Lee Cassell with a nasty injury early on, which necessitated a reshuffle that included the introduction of Matt Cooper into the back row, it was Broadstreet who were firmly in control in the opening exchanges. They ran in three tries, by fly-half Warne and wingers Powis and Phillips, the first converted by its scorer. A yellow card for Ks lock Paul Whitehurst from Hertfordshire referee Peter Ricci on 22 minutes was followed by one for Street centre Rowstron three minutes later. Scrum-half James Peacock and Cooper began to show their class with splendid individual breaks, before Charlie Brown and Tom Nicholson also shone in the Ks’ back-row effort. However, the half concluded with no reward for Kenilworth.

The second half started in positive fashion for the cup-holders, who forced Broadstreet to concede a series of penalties that moved play into their 22. The pressure told, and after eight minutes, Brown claimed his first try of the afternoon, following good work by the pack. Clearly rattled, the Binley Woods second-string lost two more, Brown and Rooke, to the sin-bin on the quarter-hour. In their absence, another forward drive enabled Brown to collect his second try, which Peacock converted from a difficult angle. The Ks scrum-half was becoming increasingly influential, first making an incisive run, and then converting a penalty chance on the half-hour. End-to-end exchanges characterized the closing stages of normal time. Winger Andy Winters went close, and centre Jez Noon put in a try-saving tackle for Kenilworth. Broadstreet stretched their lead with a penalty goal, before, in added time, a try from captain Andy Fox brought the scores level.

During the first period of extra time, a Street penalty-goal attempt was short, as play surged back and forth. Jimmy Middleton, whose elusive run nearly resulted in a try, enlivened the second period for Kenilworth. Broadstreet were now under siege, and conceded a string of penalties. Peacock, having narrowly missed a difficult one, made no mistake from in front of the posts to edge the Ks into the lead. When a last-gasp drop-goal attempt by Street sailed just wide, the trophy was on its way back to Glasshouse Lane.

A third successive defeat sees Kenilworth ensconced in the lower echelons of Midlands One. With all their remaining fixtures against teams above them in the table, they face a battle to retain their status, after just one season back in the top flight of regional rugby. Results are never easy to come by at Forton Road, where the traditional welcoming atmosphere of the clubhouse is invariably accompanied by a solid performance on the field. Newport simply overwhelmed their visitors, their pack dominating and denying them possession for long periods. When the ball was obtained, Kenilworth were allowed no time on it. Against this backdrop, their preferred option of trying to run it from everywhere was doomed to failure.

With the home forwards immediately setting out their stall, it took just three minutes for a desperate dive over the top by the Ks to enable the Shropshire lads to open their account with a penalty goal. Apart from a drive with Dan Careless and Michael Smith in the van, nothing of note came from the visitors until the quarter hour. Then, Chris Brown levelled the score with a penalty goal for offside. Five minutes later, Francis Nock incurred the displeasure of the female referee, and was yellow-carded. In his absence, pacey and powerful winger Stephan Brotherton cut through some weak defending to score a converted try. With the Ks unable to make any headway as Newport piled into them from all angles, the first half ended 10-3.

The first few minutes of the second half were more promising for the Ks. Pete Roberts and Nock were involved in a good move. However, Newport soon added a further try, this time unconverted, slick hands and powerful running once again shredding the defence. Chris Brown replied with a penalty goal on 10 minutes. Newport kept the game tight, and on the half hour, repeated the dose. More weak tackling led to an unconverted try. Changes - Jez Noon for Roberts and Ian Phillips for Michael Smith - made no difference, with the Ks living on, and unable to profit from, scraps of possession. The final score 20-6.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Taylor, C. Brown, Renowden, N. Collett, Dean, C.Collett, Cooper, Careless, N. Smith, Nock, M. Smith. Replacements: Clements, Noon, Phillips.

This was a long time in coming. Most Kenilworth supporters in the sizeable crowd could not remember the last victory of their First XV over Broadstreet. However, this emphatic win sent the boys from beside the banks of Coventry's Eastern Bypass, back to Binley Woods with their tails well and truly between their legs. What has been lacking in the home side's recent dismal run - a combative approach, quick ball, and the right options, put one of the contenders for the play-off place in Midlands One, away with aplomb. Tetchiness is invariably to the fore in this local derby, and it took just a minute for the first altercation. Thankfully, in spite of further sporadic outbursts of petulance and smidgens of blood, both sides ended with a full complement on the park.

The opening exchanges were shaded by Kenilworth. Signs of things to come soon began to emerge. Captain Pete Roberts surged clear, but threw a poor pass when he might have made the line himself. On 10 minutes, a charge down by Rupert Cooper and subsequent breaks by Gareth Renowden and James Hersey released Roberts for a try under the posts, which fly-half Chris Brown converted. Three minutes later, the lead was stretched by a Chris Brown penalty following illegal use of hands by Broadstreet. The Kenilworth No 10, who had a fine all-round game, then placed a clever chip over the defence. This led to a pick up by Hersey and transfer to Roberts, who obliged with his second converted try on the quarter hour. The visitors responded, and it took some stout defence, plus a few indiscretions, to keep them at bay. However, reward came on 20 minutes, with an unconverted try in the left corner, following a drive by their pack. Not to be outdone, the Ks immediately stormed back, a great run by Renowden seeing Roberts once more on hand to notch up his hat-trick, Chris brown again adding the extras. A few minutes later, a neat and decisive pick-up by Scott Clendinning-Fenton was followed by a brilliant cross-kick by prop Andy Lawrence that was chased, caught and touched down by the speedy Andy Whitehall. The conversion attempt by Chris Brown was narrowly wide. With each member of the K's pack giving at least as good as they got, and making quick ball available, the attacks flowed. Another astute kick ahead by Chris Brown was chased to near the Street line by Luke Brown, before being fly-hacked into touch. Nonetheless, no further points were added before half-time, when the score was 29-5.

A vigorous start to the second half saw Mike Smith, who was to become increasingly influential for the Ks, penalised for an illegal tackle. Then, a long sniping run by Renowden was finished in style by Whitehall, but the scoring pass was adjudged to have been forward. Subsequent exchanges were scrappy, abrasive, and punctuated by penalty awards. Broadstreet lost Eddie Simkiss to the sin-bin after 16 minutes, following one indiscretion too many. Ian Fergusson then replaced Roberts with Alex Taylor and Whitehall with Dave Clements. A sparkling Renowden break set up Hersey, whose great run culminated in an unconverted try on 20 minutes. Streets' only effective response, as it had been all afternoon, was to mount forward pressure. When they had driven towards the Kenilworth line, and been awarded a penalty 10 metres out, Cooper, a talisman in the lineout and loose, was yellow-carded. The Ks held out for most of his absence, but on the half-hour, yet another drive by the visiting pack resulted in an unconverted try in the left corner. For the last few minutes, Darren Dean replaced Matt Davies, whose experience had been invaluable. Another Chris Brown kick ahead and chase by Luke Brown nearly paid dividends, before in added time, Taylor punched a hole in the Street defence, before linking with Chris Brown, Hersey and Clements, the latter scorching away for an unconverted try, that made the final tally 39-10.

Kenilworth: Clendenning-Fenton, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden, Collett, Davies, Lawrence, Phillips, Careless, N. Smith, Cooper, M.Smith. Replacements: Taylor, Clements, Dean.

Kenilworth eased past their Warwickshire Cup Quarter-Final opponents to book an encounter on March 5th with Broadstreet, who have beaten them in the last two finals. Although both sides were missing several key players, the gulf between the first and third tiers of Midlands rugby was evident.

Old Laurentians opened brightly, but it was Kenilworth who drew first blood. After Chris Brown had carved open the defence, Chris Collett was in support to cross for a try, to which Brown added the extras. The ex - Nuneaton and Broadstreet fly-half was in sparkling form, and again shredded the defence before touching down for a converted try. The main threat from the visitors came in the form of their outside centre and right winger, who made promising breaks. Their pack was distinctly second best, yielding several against the head. The men from Rugby were rewarded with a penalty goal on 21 minutes, when referee Rose spotted someone coming in from the side. Te remainder of he half was one-way traffic. First, Jez Non finished a move started by Andy Whitehall and carried on by James Hersey and Alex Taylor. Whitehall then superbly drew his man before passing to Dave Clements, who scampered in at the corner. The final score was a converted Ian Phillips try, after Dan Crandon had secured the ball from a maul.

With the added aid of a stiff breeze, Kenilworth were now even more in control at the start of the second half; Chris Brown gaining territory by a mixture of of astute kicks and eye-catching breaks, one of he latter leading to a Whitehall try. A brief spell of pressure by OL's culminated in a push-over try after 10 minutes. The response was swift and clinical. Nick Collett surged clear before the ball was spun by Chris Brown, Taylor and Hersey to Noon, who recorded another unconverted try. Clements was next on the score-sheet, after a sweeping move, then Chris Brown, following a break by Gareth Renowden. The final try went to Hersey, who having controlled a difficult ball, shed Old Laurentians like Autumn leaves on his passage to the line.

Kenilworth:Whitehall, Clements, Hersey, Taylor, Noon, C. Brown, Clendinning-Fenton, N.Collett, Varney, C. Collett, Phillips, Careless, N. Smith, Nock, Crandon. Replacements (used): Renowden, L. Brown, Powell, Carrick.

Mission accomplished. In spite of a lapse in the final 10 minutes that saw one of the contenders for the play-off spot in Midlands One, post two converted tries, to give them a rather flattering scoreline, Kenilworth put in a splendid all round performance that keeps their hopes of remaining in the top flight of regional rugby alive (writes Bob Jones).

With a strong wind in their favour, Kenilworth opened brightly, Nick Smith kicking ahead to within the Longton 22. Further pressure near the visitors' line resulted in a penalty award, which was uncharacteristically missed by Chris Brown on the five-minute mark. The fly-half was soon in running action, sending James Hersey away, but the ball ended in touch. Mike Smith, who was immense at No 8 for the Ks, drove upfield before Hersey once more charged towards the Longton line. The first score came on 10 minutes. Mike Smith ripped the ball clear of a maul, Nick Smith took it on, before it was secured by Scott Clendenning-Fenton, who chipped ahead for Andy Whitehall to gather and dive over for an unconverted try. Thus far, Longton, save for an interception and a couple of drives by their pack, were hardly in the game. Some great tackling, with Nick Smith particularly prominent, saw to that. Thereafter, their elusive left-winger Chris Tennuci threatened a couple of times with darting runs, a splendid Whitehall tackle ending the latter of these. The men from Trentham Lakes lost their No 10, McDermott, to the sin-bin after 32 minutes, for holding onto the ball, as the Ks poured forward in a dangerous position. While he was side-lined, Luke Brown, who had joined a rolling maul outside the Longton 22, was able to touch down as their opponents crumbled. Chris Brown added the extras. Just prior to the interval, Luke Brown stormed away, Hersey collected and broke, before releasing to Chris Brown, who crossed, then converted. In the substantial period added by referee Lee Towers, a scintillating run to the line by Gareth Renowden was finished in style by Rupert Cooper. Chris Brown again converted, to make the score 26-0 at half-time.

The second half commenced with determined runs by Clendinning-Fenton, Mike Smith and Whitehall, to within a whisker of the Longton line. Clendinning-Fenton, incisive in attack, embarked on another foray before finding Chris Brown. Pete Roberts, on his shoulder, was unstoppable. The try was unconverted, but the lead had been stretched after just two minutes. On 10 minutes, an injury to Andy Lawrence neccessitated a reshuffle in the pack. Nick Smith went to hooker, Matt Davies to prop and Francis Nock to the back row. It was still all Kenilworth, with Hersey and Nock both going close after clever work. A solitary breakout by Longton ended with a dropped ball beneath the home posts, as three unmarked men waited for the scoring pass. Reward did come for them after 20 minutes, when a weak tackle by Clendenning-Fenton allowed Tennuci to streak away for a try that Swetman converted. The full-back redeemed himself three minutes later, storming over for a converted try after yet another telling break by Hersey. On 25 minutes, Ian Fergusson replaced Roberts with Alex Taylor and Clendenning-Fenton with Jez Noon. Ten further minutes of Kenilworth pressure ended abruptly. Longton ran in two well-executed tries in the time remaining. The first was by McDermott, the second Swetman, who converted them both, to make the final tally 38-21.

Kenilworth: Clendenning-Fenton, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Whitehall, C. Brown, Renowden, N. Collett, Davies, Lawrence, Phillips, Careless, N. Smith, Cooper, M. Smith. Replacements: Taylor, Noon, Nock.

Kenilworth exited the Coors Warwickshire Cup at the hands of their old rivals Broadstreet, in the semi-final, played in bitingly-cold conditions under lights at Leamington RFC. After taking the lead within the first minute, and in spite of a strong second-half performance, they had fallen too far behind an earlier rampant Broadstreet outfit, to claw their way back into serious contention (writes Bob Jones).

An excellent start - a Chris Brown punt that eluded the cover and was seized by Luke Brown, who needed no second invitation to touch down, was immediately countered by a Broadstreet blitz by both forwards and backs. It took just five minutes of this pressure to yield a penalty. Danny Richards, in imperious form with the boot all evening, opening their account. Five minutes later, a drive by the men from Binley Woods pack resulted in a converted try. On twenty minutes a further, well-worked try ensued. Richards uncharacteristically missed the conversion but slotted a penalty goal five minutes later. Save for an Alex Taylor burst, little was seen of the Ks in attack, and had Andy Lawrence not made an immense tackle, and Chris Brown some relieving clearances, the tally could have been higher. However, the Cup holders were soon at it again. The irrepressible Richards broke before the ball reached Josh Fowles, who crossed for a converted try. An Alex Stanojevic break and Andy Whitehall chip and chase livened things up for the Glasshouse Lane crew, and lead to a series of offences by Broadstreet, one of which saw James Ham sin-binned. However, Kenilworth could not capitalize on the man advantage before the break, at which the score was 5-25.

A determined start to the second half by Kenilworth soon paid dividends, Taylor bullocking his way over for a try, which Chris Brown converted after six minutes. Four minutes later, the fly-half further reduced the deficit with a.penalty goal. Richards negated this with one in kind shortly afterwards, when the Ks held on to the ball illegally. Kenilworth now gained the upper hand, with Luke Brown and James Hersey making inroads, and the introduction of James Peacock at scrum-half smartening up proceedings. Chris Brown, in the thick of things against his former team-mates, engineered a try for himself at the start of the final quarter, but could not add the conversion points. Just when it seemed that the target was reachable, yet another penalty award was converted by Richards. This, coupled with a subsequent failure to take advantage of both possession and territory, in spite of the introduction of numerous pairs of fresh legs, spelt the end of the road for last year's beaten finalists. The score at the final whistle, 20-31.

Another brick in the wall. Despite being ravaged by injuries, both before and during the game, Kenilworth, with a third successive win against teams near the top of the table, took another step towards Midlands One safety. With Dudley Kingswinford and Scunthorpe now destined not to reach their current points total, and with three games to play, the Glasshouse Lane brigade will be fighting it out with several others to avoid the third relegation place (writes Bob Jones).

On a bleak, windy afternoon in Wigston, the home team took first advantage of the elements. However, within a minute, Kenilworth were ahead. A break by Dave Clements was finished by the supporting Nick Smith, James Peacock failing with the conversion. South Leicester replied five minutes later, when fly-half Mark Lord slotted a penalty goal from in front of the posts. Ten minutes later, and following an unscheduled break for a spot of canine coprolite cleansing ordered by the referee, Lord repeated the dose after the Ks had held on to the ball illegally. A last-ditch tackle by Alex Stanojevic saved what looked like a certain try, before he planted a penalty kick into the home 22. From the resulting lineout, a good drive by the pack enabled Francis Nock to touch down on 22 minutes. Peacock, still battling the wind, saw his conversion attempt hit the post. Lord soon cut the lead with a penalty goal after the Ks had come in from the side. Kenilworth dominated the remainder of the half. With Peacock kicking intelligently, Stanojevic breaking and Mike Smith battering, ground was consistently made. Thus it was perhaps justice that the normally metronomic Lord was unsuccessful with yet another penalty goal attempt just before the break, at which the score was 9-10.

Kenilworth gradually adapted to their wind advantage at the start of the second half. James Hersey came strongly into the game, first kicking ahead, and thereby setting up a scrum near the South Leicester line, then taking a Stanojevic pass to break and release Jez Noon, who obliged with an unconverted try. Success came at a price, however. Dom Carrick and Chris Collett were forced to retire following some robust treatment, Matt Cooper and Rob Varney replacing them. Shortly afterwards, Dan Crandon suffered a nasty-looking shoulder injury, and to compound these problems, Cooper was sin-binned after he failed to roll away, as the home forwards pressed near the Ks' line. Lord punished the offence with a penalty goal, to close the gap to three points. Crandon's withdrawal necessitated a final reshuffle, which saw the adaptable Luke Brown move into the pack, and make way for brother Elliot. With a quarter of the game still to play and the wind still whistling, the exchanges became frantic, scrappy and punctuated by penalties. The home side had a man yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle on Varney, but Peacock could not add the points on offer. Mike Smith broke away and fed Peacock, who was hauled down just short of the line, before a neat move involving Andy Whitehall, Hersey and Noon saw the ball reach Clements, but he was unable to take the scoring pass in the left-hand corner. During the final few minutes, South Leicester threw everything at Kenilworth. However, a combination of their own errors, plus excellent defensive work, exemplified by an immense tackle from Elliot Brown that bundled full-back Clarke, in full flight for the line, into touch during the final play, carried the day.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, Clements, Hersey, Noon, L. Brown, Stanojevic, Peacock, N. Collett, Davies (Capt.), C. Collett, Crandon, Carrick, N. Smith, Nock, M. Smith. Replacements: E .Brown, Cooper, Varney.

While in ultra-competitive Midlands One, the old adage "it's not all over until the fat lady sings", is particularly apt, Kenilworth, by comfortably seeing off league champions Loughborough Students, took a massive step towards retaining top-flight regional rugby for the Glasshouse Lane faithful next season (writes Bob Jones). Moreover, they accomplished this with 14 men for over half the game, and just prior to the interval, were reduced to just 12 by virtue of two yellow cards.

Playing with a strong wind at their backs, the Students opened brightly and took the lead on six minutes with a penalty goal by fly-half Rogers, after the Ks had strayed offside. It took until the start of the second quarter for Kenilworth to pose their first serious threat. A James Hersey break was followed by good work from Luke Brown, that set up a try for brother Elliot, Chris Brown adding the extras. In an eventful passage of play before half-time, one scrummage offence too many saw Dom Carrick yellow-carded by referee Robin Oliver. With the extra man, the visiting pack was able to drive over for a try that Rogers converted. Rob Varney then replaced the injured Francis Nock, Mike Smith also received a yellow card, and Varney a red one for retaliation. The numerical handicap did not matter. A Chris Brown penalty to touch set up an attacking position, which saw Nick Collett on hand to take the scoring pass. The try was unconverted, but edged the home side into the lead 12-10 at the interval.

Kenilworth, mainly via Chris Brown's boot, made good use of the wind from the outset of the second half. However, the exchanges were scrappy. Skipper Matt Davies showed both his experience and a touch of class to go close, before the Students lost flanker Rodley to the sin-bin. A sweeping move by the Ks was finished in style by Andy Whitehall on 23 minutes, but Chris Brown could not convert the try. The home side were now dominant in all facets of play, and forced their opponents into a series of handling errors as they strove to get back into the game. As the attacks continued, Alex Stanojevic was introduced in place of Jez Noon. A smart Gareth Renowden break released Hersey, who was hauled down just short of the line. The final try, in added time, fittingly went to the immense Mike Smith, following a scrum near the Loughborough 22. Chris Brown added the conversion points to seal a 24-10 victory.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, L. Brown, Noon, Hersey, E. Brown, C. Brown, Renowden, Collett, Davies (Capt.), Lawrence, Dingley, Carrick, N. Smith, Nock, M. Smith. Replacements: Varney, Stanojevic.

Fortress Fengate, foul weather and fired-up opponents proved an altogether too powerful cocktail for lacklustre Kenilworth in this crucial contest to avoid the third relegation place in Midlands One. After a promising opening quarter of an hour, the visitors could make little impression on a burly and well-organised Cambridgeshire outfit, who ran out comfortable winners.

Kenilworth opened brightly, and it was all Peterborough could do to keep them at bay. Unfortunately, this involved a series of blatant transgressions of the laws, such that after one too many, referee Nick Ashton felt it necessary to despatch Pete Brudnell, their talismanic No 8, to the sin-bin on 10 minutes, when he did not roll away. A subsequent offence, hands in the ruck, gave Chris Brown a penalty goal chance that he could not convert. Taking full advantage of a strong, bitterly cold wind, interspersed with hailstorms, the home side gradually got on top by kicking for territory at every opportunity. They were unlucky when the ball went dead, just as one of their number was about to touch it down. In such horrendous conditions, the play was inevitably scrappy, and it took fully half an hour for Kenilworth to create a decent chance, a kick and chase by Andy Whitehall ending with the ball also beating him as he was about to apply the finishing touch. A particularly severe bout of Peterborough pressure led to the opening score, a penalty goal in front of the posts by fly-half Ben Chan. As the half drew to a close, this lead was extended when a drive by the pack ended with an unconverted try by second-row Ben Crooks.

The start of the second half saw the forced withdrawal of Chris Collett, who had picked up a leg injury late in the first period. Matt Cooper came into the back row, with Nick Smith moving to hooker and Matt Davis to prop. The home side then extended their lead with another penalty goal by Chan after the Ks had strayed offside, and thereafter effectively proceeded to shut their visitors out of the game, and build wave upon wave of attacks. Thus it was no surprise, when on 18 minutes, centre Max Guseinov was on hand to finish a neat move under the posts, Chan converting the try. The Ks' scrummage was further disrupted and subjected to more rearrangement when Cooper was forced to retire, and Ross Lowthian came into the front row. Against the run of play, on the half-hour, Kenilworth struck back. A Mike Smith charge set up Gareth Renowden for a try that was converted by Chris Brown. With so much leeway to make up, Pete Roberts, on coaching duty, took off Dom Carrick, put Luke Brown in the pack, and introduced Alex Stanojevic at full-back. However, it had little impact during the remainder of the encounter, and visiting misery was completed when Chan struck another penalty goal just prior to the final whistle.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, Clements, Hersey, Noon, L. Brown, C. Brown, Renowden, N. Collett, Davies (Capt.), C. Collett, Carrick, Dingley, N. Smith, Nock, M. Smith. Replacements: Stanojevic, Cooper, Lowthian.

Drama in the rain at Glasshouse Lane. At the conclusion of this pulsating, nail-biting encounter, from which both participants needed a point, Kenilworth to be sure of avoiding relegation from Midlands One, and Luctonians to reach the play-off for a place in the National League, the scores were indeed level. Moreover, in a sport where drawn games are a comparative rarity, this was the second of the season between the teams (writes Bob Jones).

Both sides opened keenly, and within two minutes the visitors had taken the lead with a penalty goal by scrum-half James, after the Ks had illegally held onto the ball. Five minutes later, and following an offside decision, Chris Brown replied in kind. The principal weapon of the impressive Herefordshire outfit was their powerful pack, with lock Brick and No 8 Hulland especially prominent. However, it was Kenilworth who scored next, when on 14 minutes, Dave Clements scooted over in the left corner for an unconverted try that was initiated by quick thinking and a tap penalty from Gareth Renowden. The visiting pack then turned the screw, and spent 10 minutes in and around the Kenilworth 22, winning a series of scrummages. The pressure told, and Hulland crossed for an unconverted try to level the scores. The Ks' own talisman, Mike Smith, was in the van of their forward drives. From one, quick thinking by Dom Carrick made ground to near the Lucts' 22, but a Renowden punt went straight into touch. The hard-working Matt Davies was forced to retire injured after 27 minutes, Rob Varney replacing him. This heralded a very difficult period for the Kenilworth pack. On the half hour, Mike Smith was yellow-carded for coming in from the side, and shortly afterwards, Andy Lawrence left the field with a nasty-looking blood injury, Ian Phillips coming on. Nonetheless, they held firm, and from one piece of possession, a neat kick ahead by Chris Brown saw Luke Brown narrowly fail to touch down before an opponent. Following the resulting five-metre scrum, and on the stroke of half-time, the visitors strayed offside in front of their posts, and Chris Brown once more edged the home side into the lead with a penalty goal.

Kenilworth, with another reshuffle in the pack, started the second half brightly, and Luctonians felt the force of two mighty Mike Smith charges. They weathered this storm and regained the lead with an unconverted try by left-winger Lilley on 10 minutes, after desperate defensive work finally came unstuck. The action swung end to end. The Ks mounted a superb attack, started by Chris Brown and carried on by Pete Roberts and James Hersey. Carrick, in support, just failed to finish the move as the line beckoned. Ian Fergusson then introduced his last replacement, Elliot Brown, in place of Carrick, with brother Luke entering the pack. At the outset, this seemed to have backfired, when a series of Luctonians' attacks ended in a try by centre Hewitt, which was converted by James. To compound the problem, Mike Smith was forced to leave the field with a leg injury after 25 minutes, reducing the Ks to 14 men for the rest of the game. The worries were unfounded. Andy Whitehall roared into gear with a great run, then a sublime move by the backs, with Chris Brown again the instigator and Roberts providing the thrust, led to a second try for Clements that the fly-half converted on the half-hour, to close the gap to two points. Not to be outdone, Lucts stormed back, and fully five minutes of pressure by their forwards gained them another unconverted try. Kenilworth were not finished either. They mounted a series of threatening attacks, from one of which Hersey lost the ball as he was about to cross the line. Reward came, when following a scrum to the visitors in their own 22, their clearance kick was gathered by Chris Brown. His clever punt rebounded from a Lucts man, such that he was able to gather the ball, surge past the hapless defender and score under the posts, then convert, to level the scores once more. A substantial slice of added time saw Luctonians camped in the Ks' 22 and throwing everything at them. However, their defence was superb, and when the ball squirted from a maul in the last play, the application of a Kenilworth boot sent it into touch to end a memorable encounter.

Kenilworth: Whitehall, L. Brown, Hersey, Roberts (Capt.), Clements, C. Brown, Renowden, N. Collett, Davies, Lawrence, Carrick, Careless, N. Smith, Nock, M. Smith. Replacements: Varney, Phillips, E. Brown.