RUGBY UNION: THE promotion hunt remains on for Kenilworth after the Glasshouse Lane outfit beat local rivals Berkswell and Balsall 43-18, writes Peter Jones.
Despite a convincing home win, Kenilworth’s 1st XV coaches were critical of the home side following a series of unnecessary penalties to the visitors.
Kenilworth showed their attacking intentions early on by kicking a penalty to the corner.
After an attacking scrum was wheeled, the hosts’ poacher Gareth Renowden scored a scrappy try to open the scoring with Simon Tyler converting for a 7-0 lead.
Balsall & Berkswell responded almost immediately with a well earned try to bring the score to 7-7, but Kenilworth soon retook the lead.
It was Renowden who scored once again shortly after, snatching a good try after an equally scrappy line out to put the score at 12-7 following the missed conversion.
The visitors then narrowed the gap with a penalty to 12-10. But towards the end of the first half, Kenilworth extended their lead with a superb backs move that resulted in a try by winger Ed Hannam. The conversion gave the hosts a 19-10 lead at the break.
The second half got underway with the visitors scoring the first points of the final forty, in the form of a penalty to cut the gap to six points.
However, from this point the visitors’ main attacking weapons were their scrum and the largesse of the home side in handing over a series of penalties.
The home side’s forwards and backs subsequently combined well in the visitors’ twenty two with Dan Roberts claiming a try.
The conversion from Tyler extended his side’s advantage to 26-13.
Berkswell & Balsall made the most of a one man advantage following a sin bin to cut the deficit to five points.
Kenilworth’s task proved easy enough though as Ollie Burman scored two tries to seal the points.
Next up for Kenilworth is a trip to Droitwich on Saturday. Kick off is at 2:15pm.
