Sat 26 Oct 2019
The constant rain at Heathbrook for over 24 hours prior to kick off and during the game, threatened to stifle the attacking flair of both sides. Though, in reality both sides handled the ball well, though perhaps the option to kick was used more than it normally would have been, but that was understandable.
The wind was not a huge factor in the game, DK had it at their backs it the first half and started the game well and early penalty kick to touch by Harry Bayliss saw DK into the pavilion corner, the ball was secured and it was flashed across the DK three quarter line to Charlie Baffour, who was off and was only halted by a foot on the touchline.
The DK line out was proving to be a good starting point for DK attacks, one in front of the stand saw the half back pairing of Dunn and Melvin, snipe around the back of the lineout and make ground in the 15 metre channel, this allowed number eight Pete Griffiths to make a telling run in the heart of the Ludlow defence and again the move was carried on by the forwards, by now edging towards the Ludlow 22, when the DK forward momentum was halted illegally, which led to a DK penalty, no need for the DK supporters to guess into the corner.
The resulting lineout, saw at knock-on by Ludlow and the forthcoming scrummage saw a series on DK pick and goes which finally stretched the Ludlow defence to breaking point and it was fitting that number eight Pete Griffiths barged over the line for the try, with the reliable Sam Vaughan on target, DK in the lead 7-0.
Disappointingly for DK, Ludlow struck back very quickly when their full back breached the DK line with a well-timed run which saw him over for a good try, and the conversion levelled the score at 7-7.
DK were able to reaffirm themselves in the game and started to gain possession in the right areas of the field and started to build up pressure on the Ludlow defence, this was partially through some good kicking from Sam Vaughan, and the kick chase which did not allow Ludlow easy outs from their half, Rich Kelley was prominent in the loose and helped DK maintain the pressure that they were building.
DK then had a period of attacking with great continuity and ball control and once again were able to go through multiply phases which was finished off by another fine Tommy Walker try, 12-7 to DK.
Into the dying minutes of the first half, and Ludlow were awarded a penalty within kicking range and they opted for the kick and made the half time score 12-10
The wind was not a huge factor in the game, DK had it at their backs it the first half and started the game well and early penalty kick to touch by Harry Bayliss saw DK into the pavilion corner, the ball was secured and it was flashed across the DK three quarter line to Charlie Baffour, who was off and was only halted by a foot on the touchline.
The DK line out was proving to be a good starting point for DK attacks, one in front of the stand saw the half back pairing of Dunn and Melvin, snipe around the back of the lineout and make ground in the 15 metre channel, this allowed number eight Pete Griffiths to make a telling run in the heart of the Ludlow defence and again the move was carried on by the forwards, by now edging towards the Ludlow 22, when the DK forward momentum was halted illegally, which led to a DK penalty, no need for the DK supporters to guess into the corner.
The resulting lineout, saw at knock-on by Ludlow and the forthcoming scrummage saw a series on DK pick and goes which finally stretched the Ludlow defence to breaking point and it was fitting that number eight Pete Griffiths barged over the line for the try, with the reliable Sam Vaughan on target, DK in the lead 7-0.
Disappointingly for DK, Ludlow struck back very quickly when their full back breached the DK line with a well-timed run which saw him over for a good try, and the conversion levelled the score at 7-7.
DK were able to reaffirm themselves in the game and started to gain possession in the right areas of the field and started to build up pressure on the Ludlow defence, this was partially through some good kicking from Sam Vaughan, and the kick chase which did not allow Ludlow easy outs from their half, Rich Kelley was prominent in the loose and helped DK maintain the pressure that they were building.
DK then had a period of attacking with great continuity and ball control and once again were able to go through multiply phases which was finished off by another fine Tommy Walker try, 12-7 to DK.
Into the dying minutes of the first half, and Ludlow were awarded a penalty within kicking range and they opted for the kick and made the half time score 12-10
The third quarter of the game was decisive, and it was DK who took the game away from Ludlow, the first foray into the Ludlow 22 was due to good attack that unleashed Charlie Baffour down the left wing, which was halted illegally and DK were awarded a penalty and 10 metres were added on for some ill-timed advise to the referee from a Ludlow player, the kick found touch in front of the scoreboard and the resulting line out was won by Dan Marsh, cleanly and he was allowed to drive through the Ludlow lineout and was over the line by the referee deemed the ball held up. A 5 metre scrummage to DK, the ball won and over to the backs, Scrum half Joe Dunn, to his stand off Josh Melvin, and a deft short pass to Charlie Baffour into the line from the blindside wing and over the line under the posts, the extras from Sam 19-10.
DK continued to enjoy field position, and were able to turn the screw on Ludlow, the try bonus point was gained when DK were awarded a 5 metre scrum, and DK were able to get the shove on and Pete Griffiths did the business after the scrum was shunted back over the Ludlow line, plus two more from Sam, 26-10.
DK then added a fifth try after a good period of play which was rounded off the ball being moved right to left across the DK backs and out to Charlie Baffour on the left wing who was put into space, Charlie made considerable ground before the cover got across but he had Tommy Walker tracking on his inside and committing his man and the inside pass saw Tommy in untouched, with Sam adding the extras 33-10 to DK.
Then halfway through the second half, the game heated up a notch Sam Vaughan was Yellow carded, for a high tackle, during the 10 minute period DK were down to 14 men Ludlow , hit back on the scoreboard with a converted try to make the score 33-17.
No sooner were DK back to 15 when there was a mass disagreement amongst the forwards of both teams, following some skulduggery and revenge, the referee choose to send one player from each side to the bin.
Though, it was DK who finished the scoring in the game when Dan Marsh crashed over the line for a try, which capped a fine performance.
Next weekend is a free weekend for DK no doubt there is a game in Yokohama that will be required viewing. The following weekend 8th November sees DK travel to Newbold on Avon, see you there.
Pete Edmonds
DK continued to enjoy field position, and were able to turn the screw on Ludlow, the try bonus point was gained when DK were awarded a 5 metre scrum, and DK were able to get the shove on and Pete Griffiths did the business after the scrum was shunted back over the Ludlow line, plus two more from Sam, 26-10.
DK then added a fifth try after a good period of play which was rounded off the ball being moved right to left across the DK backs and out to Charlie Baffour on the left wing who was put into space, Charlie made considerable ground before the cover got across but he had Tommy Walker tracking on his inside and committing his man and the inside pass saw Tommy in untouched, with Sam adding the extras 33-10 to DK.
Then halfway through the second half, the game heated up a notch Sam Vaughan was Yellow carded, for a high tackle, during the 10 minute period DK were down to 14 men Ludlow , hit back on the scoreboard with a converted try to make the score 33-17.
No sooner were DK back to 15 when there was a mass disagreement amongst the forwards of both teams, following some skulduggery and revenge, the referee choose to send one player from each side to the bin.
Though, it was DK who finished the scoring in the game when Dan Marsh crashed over the line for a try, which capped a fine performance.
Next weekend is a free weekend for DK no doubt there is a game in Yokohama that will be required viewing. The following weekend 8th November sees DK travel to Newbold on Avon, see you there.
Pete Edmonds
