Sat 29 Sep 2018
DK’s trips to Worcester are never easy, and with the opening minutes Worcester had bagged a try and had taken the lead 5-0, but DK were soon back in the contest. Starting from the resulting kick off DK regained the ball and were soon into their pattern of play and in quick succession both second rows Matt Perks and Dan Marsh had made dents in the Worcester defensive line. Moments later it was a rampaging Matt Perks who made significant ground down the DK left; Worcester managed to resource the ensuing ruck more quickly than DK and averted the danger.
DK were playing up the slope in the first half and Worcester were forced into long clearing kicks on occasion in the first half, but DK were posing a running threat if the kick chase was not efficient; one such time saw a kick fielded by left wing Ben Brown, then he did a run around with full back Sam Vaughan and Ben had found some space in which to run the ball back, before finally opting for a kick towards touch which bounced in deep in the Worcester 22.
This lead to a series of line outs on the DK right wing, and from one DK went to a four man line, the ball was won and quickly out into midfield where Matt Squires crashed the ball up, the ball was recycled rapidly and out to winger Ben Brown who was off down his wing, the ball back inside to Matt Perks who powered over for the try, Sam Vaughan added the extras so it was 7-5 to DK.
Though, Worcester were soon back in front with a penalty goal, so the score was 8-7 to Worcester.
DK were soon back in the lead from a team try, which started when the DK took a scrum against the head, with a nudge forward as well scrum half Jordan Brookes, had the opportunity to break, the three quarter line was ready and waiting then the ball was quickly moved into the hands of Will Hancox and the inside centre carried the move on with an arcing run, which was followed by an inch perfect grubber kick into the in goal area, which his centre partner Stef Shillingford touched down for an excellent team try, DK back in front 12-8.
Once again Worcester kicked a penalty, so the score became 12-11 to DK.
The closing minutes of the first half were at best undisciplined, the final play of the first half saw DK with a line out on the Worcester 5 metre line, the ball was won and the following forward drive saw the ball held up over the line.
DK went into half time with the slender lead and the slope in their favour second half.
It was Worcester who were on the scoreboard first in the second half with a further penalty which saw them retake the lead 14-12.
It didn’t take long for DK to reply, in started with a Jordan Brookes snipe around a scrum which put the defence on the back foot and created disarray in the defensive line Connah Jones was then able to give Will Hancox space to run into, with Stef Shillingford running an out to in line he was able to receive the ball and break the line and then was able to outpace the cover and was in for DK’s third try and they were back in the lead 17-14.
DK were posing threats all over the field at this stage of the game, Jordan Brookes was not giving the defence time to settle by taking several quick tap penalties, with the ball travelling along the line with increasing regularity Tommy Walker was showing the increasing threat he now poses to defences.
The game edged into the final quarter with DK pressing for a fourth try, which came from a scrum on the DK 22, the ball was swiftly passed to Tommy Walker on the right wing who made it to the half way line where he was halted, DK were quicker to resource the maul and replacement James Ryan shot around the corner of the ball with the ball making it into the Worcester half, then an offload to loose head prop Kieron Williams, with no defenders in front of him, he quickly went through the gears and outstripped the defence, and the dive of course under the posts for the all-important fourth try, Sam Vaughan added the extras 24-14 to DK.
There had been a number of stoppages for injury during the second half, so DK had a torrid final period of the game to survive, Worcester piled on the pressure and kicked another penalty to make it 24-17, but the blue line held firm after that.
Next week DK are on a jaunt to the river Wye to take on Hereford.
