Kenilworth 22 - 17 Southam

Southam close but the referee decides it

Coming into this game against high flying Kenilworth, Southam could have been satisfied with just a losing bonus point, but after a charging game, in which they challenged Kenilworth to the final whistle the Southam lads felt they deserved more.

Southam started at the run, getting fast line speed and dominance at the breakdown and in the first minutes they got up to the Kenilworth 22m and fly half Harry Hewson moved into the breakdown and put a weighted chip behind the kenilworth line and wing Sam Bench was in sync and he forced the last defender to touchdown and gained the 5m scrum, Southam drove in the centre and got the penalty in front of the posts for not releasing in the tackle, converted by captain Will Grindal. Southam continued to harass Kenilworth
across the field and after 17 minutes got another Grindal penalty for a late tackle on Hewson got the the kick or kick penalty on the Kenilworth 22m. Grindal just missed another kick a few minutes later. The pressure continued and with 10 minutes off the half to go the Southam forwards got into the Kenilworth 22 and with a penalty advantage, Hewson took the speculative drop goal for another 3 points. As the half finished Kenilworth put some forward phases together and from a lineout inside the Southam 22m went for the catch and drive to sneak underneath for try.
HT 7 - 9

Kenilworth got their noses ahead when they broke into the Southam 22, some great covering tackles stopped the try and Kenilworth had to settle for the 3 points for offside at the ruck. Southam pressed back from the kick off and hammered the Kenilworth defence, but it took 10 minutes before centre John Lowden broke the line and forced the penalty on the Kenilworth 22 for a no arms tackle, converted by Grindal. Southam continued to harass Kenilworth in the open and tight and 26 minutes in Grindal got his 4th penalty on the Kenilworth 22 for not releasing in the tackle. From the kick off Southam could have cleared their lines, but were penalised for offside and Kenilworth started playing route one rugby, recycling and driving and close to the breakdown, Southam defended across the line, but under a penalty advantage Kenilworth spread it and scored in the centre, making the score 15 all. As the game drew to a close it looked as though a draw was on the cards. From a Southam scrum on their 22, the referee got in the channel and Hewson was under pressure by the time he received the ball and was unlucky to be charged down, Southam regrouped and surrounded the Kenilworth player as he went over, with 3 players under the ball, the captain and the team were sure they had denied the try, but it was awarded and Kenilworth stole it at the death.
FT 22 - 17

This was another standout game for Southam, they played as team and were in Kenilworth's faces the whole match, with a solid scrum anchored by returning No8 Andy Ford and a disciplined lineout, in which the varied defence tactics befuddled the Kenilworth pack all the way through and the confused look on their faces as yet another penalty was awarded was joy to see. Captain Will Grindal stood out, has he coolly slotted 4 out of 5 attempts.

MOTM Will Grindal