Sat 16 Nov 2019, 14:15
DK recorded their ninth win of the season against local rivals Old Halesonians 54-0, scoring eight tries in the game. This win sees DK strengthen their position at the head of the M1W table. DK certainly took advantage of the conditions, the Heathbrook pitch was in surprisingly good condition, following the rainfall over recent times and the weather during the game was pleasant for the time of year, so in favoured DK’s style of play, and the team did not disappoint the Heathbrook faithful.
DK started the game with a flourish and threatened from the early stages of the game, their first significant attack was started from a scrummage win and a backs move saw DK make significant progress only to be stopped by a knock on. This led to a period of territorial domination with DK forcing two line outs in the scoreboard corner.
The second saw Dan Marsh secure the ball in the middle and a driving maul was set up which wheeled in field and forced the Old Hales forwards to detach, and when the progress was stopped metres short of the line, the DK hooker James Ryan, drove down the short side and made the line for the opening try, Sam Vaughan missed this conversion so 5-0 to DK.
Old Hales started to play themselves back into the game, and were pressing in the DK half, when DK number eight Pete Griffiths intercepted a pass, and sprinted in from the DK half; it is one of those that will get further with time. Sam Vaughan recalibrated and slotted the conversion, so 12-0 to DK.
Following the restart, DK opened the field with a counter attack, but a tackle in midfield result in a penalty to Old Hales for holding on, a kick for goal indicated and the kick from a very kickable position slipped past the wrong side of the upright.
DK were gaining in confidence and started to use their multi-phase attacks, one saw the DK backs move the ball to left wing Charlie Baffour, who exploited the space and was off down his wing, and inside pass saw the ball move across the field to right wing Ryan Smitheman, who cut inside and was isolated enough for a holding on decision to go against him when he was stopped. The signs were starting to show that the Old Hales defence was struggling to counter the continuity that the DK attack was playing with.
Rugby is not all about one side of the ball, Tommy Walker pulled off an open field tackle which cut down Old Hales counter attack, in lots of ways this was the moment of the match.
DK had reclaimed the ball on their left wing and swiftly move the ball to the right from Sam Vaughan to Joe Dunn to Ryan Smitheman, and finally to Charlie Baffour who had tracked from the other wing. Then an inside pass and a deft cross field grubber, which was read well by Tommy Walker who was hurtling towards the ball which was in the in goal area, when he was pushed over. The Referee who was only metres away had no hesitation he was under the posts for a penalty try, 19-0 to DK.
DK scored their bonus point try from a line out, deep in their own half the Old Hales defence was committed in the midfield and the ball moved to Charlie on the left wing; the play inside him had committed the defence and Charlie had open space to take advantage of which he did outpacing the cover and scoring in the scoreboard corner, Sam had now found the range 26-0 to DK.
From the kick off DK almost scored a wonder try, Callum Nicholls, broke the first tackle and accelerated over the half way line, with DK support players reacting and busting a gut to get there to support the run, finally over half way, an offload to Will Hancox, and over the 10 metre line Stef Shillingford was the next carrier and an off load to Kieran Williams, but the referee deemed it forward, this would have been added to the pantheon of great Prop Forward tries, but it was ruled out. It did mean that the last few plays of the first half were all in the Old Hales 22.
DK started the game with a flourish and threatened from the early stages of the game, their first significant attack was started from a scrummage win and a backs move saw DK make significant progress only to be stopped by a knock on. This led to a period of territorial domination with DK forcing two line outs in the scoreboard corner.
The second saw Dan Marsh secure the ball in the middle and a driving maul was set up which wheeled in field and forced the Old Hales forwards to detach, and when the progress was stopped metres short of the line, the DK hooker James Ryan, drove down the short side and made the line for the opening try, Sam Vaughan missed this conversion so 5-0 to DK.
Old Hales started to play themselves back into the game, and were pressing in the DK half, when DK number eight Pete Griffiths intercepted a pass, and sprinted in from the DK half; it is one of those that will get further with time. Sam Vaughan recalibrated and slotted the conversion, so 12-0 to DK.
Following the restart, DK opened the field with a counter attack, but a tackle in midfield result in a penalty to Old Hales for holding on, a kick for goal indicated and the kick from a very kickable position slipped past the wrong side of the upright.
DK were gaining in confidence and started to use their multi-phase attacks, one saw the DK backs move the ball to left wing Charlie Baffour, who exploited the space and was off down his wing, and inside pass saw the ball move across the field to right wing Ryan Smitheman, who cut inside and was isolated enough for a holding on decision to go against him when he was stopped. The signs were starting to show that the Old Hales defence was struggling to counter the continuity that the DK attack was playing with.
Rugby is not all about one side of the ball, Tommy Walker pulled off an open field tackle which cut down Old Hales counter attack, in lots of ways this was the moment of the match.
DK had reclaimed the ball on their left wing and swiftly move the ball to the right from Sam Vaughan to Joe Dunn to Ryan Smitheman, and finally to Charlie Baffour who had tracked from the other wing. Then an inside pass and a deft cross field grubber, which was read well by Tommy Walker who was hurtling towards the ball which was in the in goal area, when he was pushed over. The Referee who was only metres away had no hesitation he was under the posts for a penalty try, 19-0 to DK.
DK scored their bonus point try from a line out, deep in their own half the Old Hales defence was committed in the midfield and the ball moved to Charlie on the left wing; the play inside him had committed the defence and Charlie had open space to take advantage of which he did outpacing the cover and scoring in the scoreboard corner, Sam had now found the range 26-0 to DK.
From the kick off DK almost scored a wonder try, Callum Nicholls, broke the first tackle and accelerated over the half way line, with DK support players reacting and busting a gut to get there to support the run, finally over half way, an offload to Will Hancox, and over the 10 metre line Stef Shillingford was the next carrier and an off load to Kieran Williams, but the referee deemed it forward, this would have been added to the pantheon of great Prop Forward tries, but it was ruled out. It did mean that the last few plays of the first half were all in the Old Hales 22.
Half time, 26-0 to DK a time to refocus and come again.
DK’s fifth try came early in the second half and was almost a carbon copy of the try at Newbold the previous week. A penalty led to a lineout in the pavilion corner. A catch and drive, and the ball move out to the three quarters but this became a series of hard runs, into quick rucks and out to the next runner, and across the field, this in the end saw Arran Hudson score in the Clubhouse corner when it was his turn to carry, by the touchline no problem for Sam, 33-0 to DK.
Once again, the game is not all about offence, at this point Sam Vaughan took a high kick in traffic which totally defused an Old Hales attack, it is plays like this that don’t allow pressure to build up and give no easy outs.
It was then replacement time for DK, all three on and keep the pressure on.
DK then went up a gear and were starting to stress the Old Hales defence by a combination of direct running and moving the ball quickly across the field, in this period of time forwards Callum Nicholls, Will Hancox, and Dan Marsh, all showed and in the backs there were big carries from Stef Shillingford, and Charlie Baffour. All this was also backed up by some astute tactical kicking by Harry Bayliss.
Then it became the James Fildes show, the replacement hooker, managed to get on the end of two sweeping DK moves and scored in both corners of the pitch, in fairly quick time, meaning that the two DK hookers scored a hat trick between them. Sam converted both with excellent kicks it was now 47-0 to DK.
Into the last few minutes of the game and a second Old Halesonains prop was injured and the game went to uncontested scrums which meant, that they also had to lose a player.
DK were determined to keep their line intact and their defence did not slacken at all, and they were still posing a threat going forward and almost added on further try when the ball flashed from left to right and off went Tommy Walker, he passed inside and the ball shot back to the left wing and Charlie had a chance but knocked on.
The last try came from a Will Hancox run down the DK right and a move back to the left saw Dan Marsh exploit a gap in the defence and make it to the line for a well-deserved try, once again Sam was on target, 54-0 to DK.
Next week, we travel to Stoke on Trent, and they are very much in the hunt for top spot and they have a good record against us at their place so your support will be important next weekend, so please make the effort, I’ll see you there.
DK’s fifth try came early in the second half and was almost a carbon copy of the try at Newbold the previous week. A penalty led to a lineout in the pavilion corner. A catch and drive, and the ball move out to the three quarters but this became a series of hard runs, into quick rucks and out to the next runner, and across the field, this in the end saw Arran Hudson score in the Clubhouse corner when it was his turn to carry, by the touchline no problem for Sam, 33-0 to DK.
Once again, the game is not all about offence, at this point Sam Vaughan took a high kick in traffic which totally defused an Old Hales attack, it is plays like this that don’t allow pressure to build up and give no easy outs.
It was then replacement time for DK, all three on and keep the pressure on.
DK then went up a gear and were starting to stress the Old Hales defence by a combination of direct running and moving the ball quickly across the field, in this period of time forwards Callum Nicholls, Will Hancox, and Dan Marsh, all showed and in the backs there were big carries from Stef Shillingford, and Charlie Baffour. All this was also backed up by some astute tactical kicking by Harry Bayliss.
Then it became the James Fildes show, the replacement hooker, managed to get on the end of two sweeping DK moves and scored in both corners of the pitch, in fairly quick time, meaning that the two DK hookers scored a hat trick between them. Sam converted both with excellent kicks it was now 47-0 to DK.
Into the last few minutes of the game and a second Old Halesonains prop was injured and the game went to uncontested scrums which meant, that they also had to lose a player.
DK were determined to keep their line intact and their defence did not slacken at all, and they were still posing a threat going forward and almost added on further try when the ball flashed from left to right and off went Tommy Walker, he passed inside and the ball shot back to the left wing and Charlie had a chance but knocked on.
The last try came from a Will Hancox run down the DK right and a move back to the left saw Dan Marsh exploit a gap in the defence and make it to the line for a well-deserved try, once again Sam was on target, 54-0 to DK.
Next week, we travel to Stoke on Trent, and they are very much in the hunt for top spot and they have a good record against us at their place so your support will be important next weekend, so please make the effort, I’ll see you there.
