Sat 7 Dec 2019, 14:15
Heathbrook was resplendent on a superb late autumn afternoon just the sort of day that was meant for rugby union to be played on. The crowd for this local derby between DK and the nearest neighbours Stourbridge Lions were not disappointed. It was an entertaining game with DK coming out winners 34-0. A six try win, but the basis of the win for DK was their defence, you would struggle, to recall a missed tackle, and Stour’s best attacks came when they reacted quickly and exploited a quick tap penalty, early on and a quick line out deep into the second half.
DK’s victory was though based on the ability to retain the ball, and to manipulate defenders to create overloads in the Stour defensive line and the counterpoint to this with the option of shortening the defensive line, then attacking on the edge. Added to this is a good kicking game which allows field position to be used to advantage.
The game like most in M1W started with a period of feeling out of the opposition in the middle of the pitch, and that was the case and the two defences shown up well, but DK were edging this period and were awarded two penalties in fairly quick succession this meant that DK had gain the territorial advantage and were able to mount an attack through the centres and close support saw full back Sam Vaughan through a gap to the side of the posts for the first try, Sam missed the conversion so it was 3-0 to DK.
The restart was a penalty awarded for the challenge on Sam has he scored the try, the pressure was applied straight back onto Stour with a Harry Bayliss kick into the 22. This lead to a DK backs move which was able to stress the Stour defence down the DK left wing, finally with a combination of Stef Shillingford and Charlie Baffour making ground the ball came back on the inside and a cross field kick by Harry Bayliss, saw Tommy Walker and Sam Vaughan racing after the ball, Sam recovered it and was able to continue the attack, when a deft kick ahead trickled into touch.
Moments, later DK were breaching the Stour line in midfield, it was all about timing of the pass and close support in a channel, it started with Stef Shillingford committing his defender, but passing before contact, it was short to Sam Vaughan on his outside but a short pass between the defenders the ball immediately back to Stef, and the final pass was to hooker James Fildes who took a line between the two backs and through the gap that had been created and over the line for the second try, no conversion so 10-0 to DK.
DK added a third try, when they won a line out in front of the stand and Josh Brown carried the ball from the back into midfield and attracted the Stour defence to him, DK recycled the ball and put Stef Shillingford into a position where he could get on the outside of his man and continue the attack forwards, a pass out of the tackle was well caught by Charlie Baffour, one handed and he was in space and had a clear run to the line, 15-0 to DK.
That was the final action of the first half.
DK’s victory was though based on the ability to retain the ball, and to manipulate defenders to create overloads in the Stour defensive line and the counterpoint to this with the option of shortening the defensive line, then attacking on the edge. Added to this is a good kicking game which allows field position to be used to advantage.
The game like most in M1W started with a period of feeling out of the opposition in the middle of the pitch, and that was the case and the two defences shown up well, but DK were edging this period and were awarded two penalties in fairly quick succession this meant that DK had gain the territorial advantage and were able to mount an attack through the centres and close support saw full back Sam Vaughan through a gap to the side of the posts for the first try, Sam missed the conversion so it was 3-0 to DK.
The restart was a penalty awarded for the challenge on Sam has he scored the try, the pressure was applied straight back onto Stour with a Harry Bayliss kick into the 22. This lead to a DK backs move which was able to stress the Stour defence down the DK left wing, finally with a combination of Stef Shillingford and Charlie Baffour making ground the ball came back on the inside and a cross field kick by Harry Bayliss, saw Tommy Walker and Sam Vaughan racing after the ball, Sam recovered it and was able to continue the attack, when a deft kick ahead trickled into touch.
Moments, later DK were breaching the Stour line in midfield, it was all about timing of the pass and close support in a channel, it started with Stef Shillingford committing his defender, but passing before contact, it was short to Sam Vaughan on his outside but a short pass between the defenders the ball immediately back to Stef, and the final pass was to hooker James Fildes who took a line between the two backs and through the gap that had been created and over the line for the second try, no conversion so 10-0 to DK.
DK added a third try, when they won a line out in front of the stand and Josh Brown carried the ball from the back into midfield and attracted the Stour defence to him, DK recycled the ball and put Stef Shillingford into a position where he could get on the outside of his man and continue the attack forwards, a pass out of the tackle was well caught by Charlie Baffour, one handed and he was in space and had a clear run to the line, 15-0 to DK.
That was the final action of the first half.
There was a certain amount of symmetry to the game and DK continue to play their game into the second half and rotated their players without and significant apparent change to the intensity of the their game. They added a fourth try form a right to left backs move which saw Stef Shillingford commit his opposite number, but the move was carried on Josh Brown who had taken up a close supporting run, onto Callum Nicholls from a similar pass, Stef Shillingford had rejoined the attack outside Callum and the defence was unable to cover another offload and he was in for the try, Sam added the extras, 22-0 to DK and the important bonus point.
Stour next took a penalty shot at goal to get on the scoreboard, but it feel short and James Fildes, collected the ball and made a break through the chasers and then tried a pass to Charlie Baffour who would have had a good chance of making the line, but it was knocked on.
DK were starting to build the pressure and a scrummage on their right saw the ball shoot along their line to Charlie Baffour, who was sprinting for the line only to be stopped by a good open field tackle.
Stour were spending more time in their own half and the pressure was being ramped up by DK. After the award of a scrummage just to right of the posts on the 22, DK split their centres, and scrum half Joe Dunn picked and went blind, putting doubt into the defence, Stef Shillingford had weighed up the defensive formation, before he had received the ball and with the full back was on the other side so the chip ahead was on, and that’s what came, and the bounce kind and Stef touched down his own kick for the fifth try, plus two more from Sam, 29-0.
Into the final minutes of the game, and the ball finally got to Tommy Walker on the DK right wing and he made a good run to the line only to be bundled into touch just short.
Jake Thompson finished the scoring when he finished off a DK forwards move where the whole pack was involve in a series a pick and drives, to make it 34-0. Sutton Coldfield next week see you there.
Stour next took a penalty shot at goal to get on the scoreboard, but it feel short and James Fildes, collected the ball and made a break through the chasers and then tried a pass to Charlie Baffour who would have had a good chance of making the line, but it was knocked on.
DK were starting to build the pressure and a scrummage on their right saw the ball shoot along their line to Charlie Baffour, who was sprinting for the line only to be stopped by a good open field tackle.
Stour were spending more time in their own half and the pressure was being ramped up by DK. After the award of a scrummage just to right of the posts on the 22, DK split their centres, and scrum half Joe Dunn picked and went blind, putting doubt into the defence, Stef Shillingford had weighed up the defensive formation, before he had received the ball and with the full back was on the other side so the chip ahead was on, and that’s what came, and the bounce kind and Stef touched down his own kick for the fifth try, plus two more from Sam, 29-0.
Into the final minutes of the game, and the ball finally got to Tommy Walker on the DK right wing and he made a good run to the line only to be bundled into touch just short.
Jake Thompson finished the scoring when he finished off a DK forwards move where the whole pack was involve in a series a pick and drives, to make it 34-0. Sutton Coldfield next week see you there.
