Sat 14 Dec 2019
Sutton Coldfield were the hosts for the final game of the first half of the season, DK are on top of the table and Sutton have suffered with injury problems all season and find themselves in the bottom three.
The conditions were good for watching a bright clear day, but not always the best for back threes with a low sun at one end, and a gusty wind blowing diagonally down the pitch. While the pitch was good it did show signs of the recent rainfall, and it was fair to say that the water table was near the surface. Though, it did not stop either side from entertaining the crowd.
DK chose to kick with the elements in their favour in the first half, and found themselves on the attack following a midfield penalty was kicked into the corner by Harry Bayliss, from the resulting line out, the DK forwards won the ball and rolled their maul infield and were about to engineer a break in the 10 channel went the Referee called a halt for a forward pass to James Fildes, who was looking to burst through the Sutton defensive line.
Then on 8 minutes DK were awarded another penalty for offside, Harry drove it into the corner, a DK line out. This time it was won cleanly, and out to the backs for a first chance to run at the Sutton defence the ball was moved sharply and Charlie Baffour was given a chance to run, and he did over for the first try, Sam Vaughan added the extras 7-0 to DK.
Sutton looked to hit back quickly following their kick off, but despite a knock on by DK; the DK defence stiffened and contained Sutton, and were able to turned the ball over and this led to Mitch Grealey making a break down the middle of the field, the DK attack quickly organised itself to take advantage of Mitch’s break, supporting forwards saw the ball into the hands of scrum half Joe Dunn, a back line had formed to his left, and once again the ball was shipped to Charlie Baffour who needed no second invitation to race to the line for his second try, 12-0 to DK.
Then, Sutton came back into the game following their kick off they were able to mount some pressure, and DK were reduced to 14 effective players when Stef Shillingford took a knock to the knee, play continued and Sutton were able to take advantage of the extra man and saw them go in right in the corner for a try which was well converted across the wind so DK now in front 12-7.
Stef was able to carry on and was able to run off the knock; once again the DK defence was tested but with 15 players it stood up well, then there was a turn over, and Tommy Walker was off down the right wing, once again DK reacted well to the transition and were again ready to strike when Tommy Walker offloaded, once again the ball was shifted across the line and again Charlie Baffour was in space and he was in for a first half hat trick try, converted by Sam 19-7 to DK.
Sutton following the kick off had some field position and were awarded a penalty, they choose to kick at goal, but the kick was short. This was soon followed by one of those instances that tested the knowledge off the laws of the onlooker. It started with a scrummage deep in the DK half 15 metres in from the right hand touch line, the Sutton defence worried about the wind dropped their winger back, DK exploited the situation, Pete Griffiths picked up from number 8, Joe Dunn offered himself on the outside and drew the back row forward and fed Tommy Walker who raced down his wing a kick ahead when the cover arrived. Then came the call from the Referee that the Sutton player who kicked dead was in the in-goal area, the restart was a 22. One of those things that we have to live with.
Tommy Walker was in soon action again running the ball out of defence and beating several would be tacklers. It was one of those days when the chances seemed to come on the left wing and not the right, but Tommy had a fine game.
DK added a fourth try, when a bulldozing run from Callum Nicholls down the middle of the pitch, saw the ball once again recycled and out towards Charlie Baffour but this time the Sutton Defence was able to block off Charlie’s progress, but this time the DK outside backs interpassed and found Harry Bayliss back on the inside with a clear run to the line, in was in under the posts Sam made 24, 26 so 26-7 to DK.
DK’s fifth and final try of the first half, was started by a good run into the Sutton half by Sam Vaughan, then out to Stef Shillingford who had run off his knock by now. Stef summed up the situation, and put through a kick for Tommy Walker to run unto, and a kindly bounce saw Tommy Walker collect the ball cleanly and under the posts, Sam added the extras 33-7 to DK.
Into half time, bonus point in the bag and a good lead.
The conditions were good for watching a bright clear day, but not always the best for back threes with a low sun at one end, and a gusty wind blowing diagonally down the pitch. While the pitch was good it did show signs of the recent rainfall, and it was fair to say that the water table was near the surface. Though, it did not stop either side from entertaining the crowd.
DK chose to kick with the elements in their favour in the first half, and found themselves on the attack following a midfield penalty was kicked into the corner by Harry Bayliss, from the resulting line out, the DK forwards won the ball and rolled their maul infield and were about to engineer a break in the 10 channel went the Referee called a halt for a forward pass to James Fildes, who was looking to burst through the Sutton defensive line.
Then on 8 minutes DK were awarded another penalty for offside, Harry drove it into the corner, a DK line out. This time it was won cleanly, and out to the backs for a first chance to run at the Sutton defence the ball was moved sharply and Charlie Baffour was given a chance to run, and he did over for the first try, Sam Vaughan added the extras 7-0 to DK.
Sutton looked to hit back quickly following their kick off, but despite a knock on by DK; the DK defence stiffened and contained Sutton, and were able to turned the ball over and this led to Mitch Grealey making a break down the middle of the field, the DK attack quickly organised itself to take advantage of Mitch’s break, supporting forwards saw the ball into the hands of scrum half Joe Dunn, a back line had formed to his left, and once again the ball was shipped to Charlie Baffour who needed no second invitation to race to the line for his second try, 12-0 to DK.
Then, Sutton came back into the game following their kick off they were able to mount some pressure, and DK were reduced to 14 effective players when Stef Shillingford took a knock to the knee, play continued and Sutton were able to take advantage of the extra man and saw them go in right in the corner for a try which was well converted across the wind so DK now in front 12-7.
Stef was able to carry on and was able to run off the knock; once again the DK defence was tested but with 15 players it stood up well, then there was a turn over, and Tommy Walker was off down the right wing, once again DK reacted well to the transition and were again ready to strike when Tommy Walker offloaded, once again the ball was shifted across the line and again Charlie Baffour was in space and he was in for a first half hat trick try, converted by Sam 19-7 to DK.
Sutton following the kick off had some field position and were awarded a penalty, they choose to kick at goal, but the kick was short. This was soon followed by one of those instances that tested the knowledge off the laws of the onlooker. It started with a scrummage deep in the DK half 15 metres in from the right hand touch line, the Sutton defence worried about the wind dropped their winger back, DK exploited the situation, Pete Griffiths picked up from number 8, Joe Dunn offered himself on the outside and drew the back row forward and fed Tommy Walker who raced down his wing a kick ahead when the cover arrived. Then came the call from the Referee that the Sutton player who kicked dead was in the in-goal area, the restart was a 22. One of those things that we have to live with.
Tommy Walker was in soon action again running the ball out of defence and beating several would be tacklers. It was one of those days when the chances seemed to come on the left wing and not the right, but Tommy had a fine game.
DK added a fourth try, when a bulldozing run from Callum Nicholls down the middle of the pitch, saw the ball once again recycled and out towards Charlie Baffour but this time the Sutton Defence was able to block off Charlie’s progress, but this time the DK outside backs interpassed and found Harry Bayliss back on the inside with a clear run to the line, in was in under the posts Sam made 24, 26 so 26-7 to DK.
DK’s fifth and final try of the first half, was started by a good run into the Sutton half by Sam Vaughan, then out to Stef Shillingford who had run off his knock by now. Stef summed up the situation, and put through a kick for Tommy Walker to run unto, and a kindly bounce saw Tommy Walker collect the ball cleanly and under the posts, Sam added the extras 33-7 to DK.
Into half time, bonus point in the bag and a good lead.
The initial moments of the second half gave the impression that there was a status quo to the game with first Pete Griffiths running the kick off back and onto Mitch Grealey and over the Sutton 10 metre line and then onto Will Hancox who tried a deft diagonal kick through the defensive line, but a rebound brought the attack to an end.
DK then settled in a period of field position and with the aid of a couple of penalties and this led to a line out in the bottom corner, a drive in field saw DK pin Sutton into the corner and the ball was moved out Charlie Baffour had joined the line form the blindside wing, and James Fildes had made his way across to support on the inside and a quick pass out again saw Tommy Walker free and hurtling for the line, but no conversion so 38-7 to DK.
Though, next Sutton struck back with a well-constructed try, it started with a scrummage and then a series of pick and goes, good ball retention, eventually saw the DK defensive line narrowed and Sutton had the opportunity to use their backs who now had the extra numbers and over for a good try, with the wind the extras were added so 38-14 to DK.
Into the last quarter of the game, and DK were awarded a penalty centrally in the Sutton half and they took the scrummage, and scored a try after a good passage of play. It started with the ball being won and a pick up and drive by Pete Griffiths and the ball spun out to Tommy Walker, the defence up in the faces of the DK attackers, the ball was moved back across the posts, finding its way to Harry Bayliss, who saw the opportunity to run the ball back against the grain of the defence, he made a break and was about to be tackled in front of the posts when replacement Hooker James Ryan, came on a well-timed run and was in straight under the posts, plus two more from Sam 45- 14 to DK.
Sutton finished the scoring with a short range pick and go from a scrummage, which was not pretty from a DK point a view 45-19 to DK at the full time whistle.
DK entertain Droitwich at Heathbrook next Saturday at 2:15.
DK then settled in a period of field position and with the aid of a couple of penalties and this led to a line out in the bottom corner, a drive in field saw DK pin Sutton into the corner and the ball was moved out Charlie Baffour had joined the line form the blindside wing, and James Fildes had made his way across to support on the inside and a quick pass out again saw Tommy Walker free and hurtling for the line, but no conversion so 38-7 to DK.
Though, next Sutton struck back with a well-constructed try, it started with a scrummage and then a series of pick and goes, good ball retention, eventually saw the DK defensive line narrowed and Sutton had the opportunity to use their backs who now had the extra numbers and over for a good try, with the wind the extras were added so 38-14 to DK.
Into the last quarter of the game, and DK were awarded a penalty centrally in the Sutton half and they took the scrummage, and scored a try after a good passage of play. It started with the ball being won and a pick up and drive by Pete Griffiths and the ball spun out to Tommy Walker, the defence up in the faces of the DK attackers, the ball was moved back across the posts, finding its way to Harry Bayliss, who saw the opportunity to run the ball back against the grain of the defence, he made a break and was about to be tackled in front of the posts when replacement Hooker James Ryan, came on a well-timed run and was in straight under the posts, plus two more from Sam 45- 14 to DK.
Sutton finished the scoring with a short range pick and go from a scrummage, which was not pretty from a DK point a view 45-19 to DK at the full time whistle.
DK entertain Droitwich at Heathbrook next Saturday at 2:15.
