Sat 26 Jan 2019, 14:15
DK welcomed Hereford to Heathbrook, to renew our rivalry, which tends to produce intense games which are hard fought throughout the eighty minutes. Recent form from both teams suggest nothing different, but the spectators would have an eye skyward with heavy rain forecast, which often poses problems to all players, the game started in dry conditions.
The opening minutes saw both teams start well and there were some early penalties for offside with the referee making his mark on the game. Though, after four minutes DK were awarded a scrummage on the Hereford 22, a clean hook from James Fildes and the ball to the right, and Stef Shillingford throw a dummy and it was bought and he was through under the posts Sam Vaughan made it 7-0 to DK. Charlie Baffour was soon in the action running a Hereford kick back inside towards the DK forwards, finding Pete Griffiths who continued the move into contact, but the referee was playing an advantage for offside, DK showed their intention with a kick to the corner, which came to nothing
It was DK who were building pressure, and found themselves on the right wing where a maul developed and the backs were aligned to attack to the left, the ball was released and was quickly in the hands of Sam Vaughan who was able to time his pass to Charlie Baffour so that his man was taken out of the equation, and Charlie raced in for DK’s second try, 12-0 DK. DK were starting to dominate the game and a period of pressure in the form of phase play, allowed Stef Shillingford the opportunity to exploit a stretched defensive line, and he was clean through for DK’s third try, Sam added the extras 19-0 to DK. The next five minutes saw the game situation change completely, DK from a position of strength to back in a struggle. First, following a long kick by Hereford, DK started to run the ball back and there was a chance to put Charlie in the clear, but the pass was risky and the interception saw Hereford onto the scoreboard, it was now 19-5. Then from the ensuing kick-off, the Hereford backs were allowed to run the ball back and a missed tackle meant that their left wing had an unopposed run to the line plus the conversion, now 19-12 to DK. This started painful flashbacks for the DK faithful, who had seen this sort thing before, especially at Wyeside, and the end result well. Though this time DK recovered their composure, and were starting to make ground Sam Vaughan and James Fildes had combined well to make ground with the ball in hand and Nick Adams and Charlie Baffour had dealt with the aerial bombardment aimed towards the DK left wing. DK were also gaining penalties with Hereford being caught offside. It was from one of these penalties that DK opted for the scrummage and slick handling and decoy runs saw Charlie Baffour in for a try on the outside and round towards the posts, it was now 24-12 to DK. DK were having joy down their left wing and this time after a period of open play the ball reached Charlie on half way with space to run into and only one defender in his way, meantime James Fildes had got to his inside, so an inside pass and back to the winger saw Charlie, pin his ears back and go for the scoreboard corner, a final defender was fast closing in a dive for the line a desperate tackle, but the Hereford touch judge kept his flag down, so it was a Charlie Baffour first half hat trick, 29-12 to DK. Though, Hereford were not done either and added another try, to peg the score back to 29-19. DK maintained their lead until half-time with some excellent defensive kicking from Sam Vaughan and Nick Adams.
So into half time 29-19 in the lead, and the wind slightly more in our favour than the first half, though the second-half was about to be dominated by heavy rain which always takes the edge off expansive rugby. It was the third quarter of this match, where the game was won and lost. It was very much the Hereford attack against the DK defence, almost the whole quarter was played in the DK 22, but the blue line held firm. DK went down to 14 men during this period when Danny Hawkins was sent to the bin with a yellow card for a tip tackle, but if anything this added steel to the DK D. This period of the game came to an end when a Hereford player gave the referee too much verbal advice, and DK gained a penalty which relived the pressure.
Then the pendulum truly swung in DK’s favour, a long clearing kick from deep within the DK half was fielded by the Hereford full back in their 22, and he decided to make ground back by running the ball back but Tommy Walker fast following up the kick forced him to pass to his wing to clear, but he knocked on. Scrummage to DK almost on the touch line just inside the Hereford 22. A clean hook by DK, Joe Dunn to Jordan Brookes; with the closeness of the scrummage to touchline the Hereford defence was worried about the ball going wide, but no Jordan Brookes stepped back inside his man and fed Sam Vaughan who went in under the posts untouched and Sam converted his own try, 36-19 to DK. DK by this time were pressing Hereford back with their kicking game using the weather conditions to the full. A clever Nick Adams angled kick in behind the Hereford defensive line forced the ball to put into touch in front of the clubhouse. The end of the following DK move was a series of take and gives and Tommy Walker in for a try in the opposite corner, a try which defied the conditions.
The result was again a clear victory, 41-19 and our third in a row. Though, there is still more to come, I for one look forward to that performance. There is no league game next weekend, we are away at Longton on 9th February, see you there.
