Keyworth 1st XV 31 - Castle Donnington 1st XV 7

With both teams only able to field 15 players and several members from both sides arriving late, on agreement by the 2 skippers and the ref the game finally kicked off at 2.30 in wet and sticky conditions.
Castle Donnington came with their normal large pack and quick backs with their lively fly half at the centre of everything they tried. Keyworth gave a full 1st team debut to young Tom Bradshaw on the back row and welcomed back Lee Broadhead (No8)from the 2’s and James Muston (wing). With skipper Stuart Clark carrying a slight knock from the previous game it was decided to re jig the back line slightly and push Jamie Halpin into the centres with Ian Gregory and Clark drop in at Full back in the hope he could hide for a while and not be called into action too often.
The game started a little scrappy but it became apparent that the Keyworth Pack weren’t going to let the larger Donnington side dominate the set piece. Keyworth pushed Donnington off several of their scrums and took a few against the head to put them on the back foot right from the off. The line out was the same story with Richard Johnson and Phil Parnham winning all their own ball and 90% of Donningtons also. However the open play that the forward domination created took a little time to come as it was all a little disjointed. It was however after 15 minutes that Keyworth got their first score. After another fine positional kick by Simon Richards a line out was taken by Donnington 25 meters from their own line, again Johnson catlike pulled the ball away from his opposite number and tapped back to Owen Phillips at scrum half. His immediate quick pass out set the backs off and running, with Halpin holding his running lines very well it left Gregory a small gap to get through, leaving the 2 opposition centres in his wake and then the full back flat on his back he went over for the try which was converted by Richards. 7-0.
With Donnington struggling in the set piece, it was their open play that was starting to flourish, however the dogged determination of the home defence in the tackle area which at some stages this season has been lacking more than held its own. Several counter attacks led from the Donnington fly halfs insistence to kick the ball to try and gain position, but with Clark relishing the challenge of the high ball (but not the running) Keyworth kept up the momentum of getting in their faces at every opportunity. Still it was the scrappy nature of the game that dominated for long periods but with Richards boot in fine form Keyworth kept Donnington pegged back. Just before half time Keyworth were rewarded for their determination with Gregory going over for his second of the game. Conversion missed. 12-0 Half Time.
2nd half saw Keyworth going up the famous Widmerpool slope. The pick and drive for Keyworth really started to click with Broadhead, Parnham Bradshaw and Johnson really starting to come into their own making several rampaging runs into the heart of the Donnington defence it wasn’t long before the 3rd try came. With a move that started deep the the Keyworth half the forwards started their charge pulling the opposition defence left and right all the way up the pitch. The move appeared to have gone one step too far with Keyworth now 10 yards short of the line but after the quick thinking of Phillips at scrum half, threw a 25 yard pass to the backs who were waiting to pounce, the ball was moved quickly down the line to leave Muston with the run in on the wing. Richards converted. 19-0.
With another period of forward battle and positional kicking from both teams the game went a little quiet again but another fine team move that saw the ball touched by all 15 players led to Keyworth charging up the field once more. 1 final ruck left Bradshaw at first receiver, he gratefully charged the defence once more taking 4 of the defence with him, the quick recycle left a 4 on 2 for Keyworth and a quick miss move left Jamie Birch to continue his impressive debut season with a try in the corner. Conversion missed. 24-0
Credit to Donnington though as they refused to lie down and take defeat. The next 10 minutes or so the Keyworth defence had to be strong. However the Donnington pack continued to make in roads into the Keyworth half and after some good work the fly half played a cheeky chip over the defence. The bounce fell kindly for him and he went under the posts to score. Conversion kicked. 24-7
Keyworth were to have the last laugh though. Another set of moves involving forwards and backs got Keyworth to the opposition 22. At the ruck the ball was passed out to the backs where Richards threw his now World Famous Belly Swerve and ran into the gap, drawing the only defender left he passed the ball to the supporting Gregory to score his hat trick try. Richards converted. 31-7 Full Time.
Mentions must go to firstly the front row and Keith Scott for there continuous disruption of the oppositions set play and also the ruck and maul.
The back row and Richard Johnson, in defence they covered all areas tackling anything that moved. In attack their continued willingness to carry the ball to the opposition.
The half backs for controlling both backs and forwards and keeping the team moving forward.
The new centre pairing of Halpin and Gregory showed no signs of its infancy with both having a very good game.
And of course our 2 wingers both for their willingness to run at the opposition but also the support in defence to the Full Back.