Powergen Midlands 2 East

Kettering 34 Derby 17
(see match day pix)

‘Blues keep up pressure at top in front of President!’

Kettering kept up the pressure at the top of Midlands 2 with a workmanlike performance in front of the Rugby Unions President Bob Taylor, and with fellow promotion rivals Newark again being beaten it now looks like a three way battle for the top spot over the final seven games of the season.

The Blues kicked off in sunny conditions and playing into the strong wind but somehow the score remained all square until the sixth minute as the Blues called all the shots and had Derby defending like mad, eventually though the visitors defence was breached, a penalty was kicked to touch, Graham Wilson took clean ball and it was moved quickly wide for Steve Duncan to score in the corner.  With their first attack though Derby were on the board with a penalty as Kettering went offside, the referee was letting the game flow and unbelievably it was not until the twenty second minute of the game before he awarded the first scrum.  Two minutes later and the Blues increased their lead with a great try, all looked lost as some dreadful passing looked to have spoilt a sweeping move but a piece of real class from Nathan Satala rescued the situation and his pass put Kevin Osborne in for the try which Tim Jones converted from the touch line.

With half time approaching the Kettering pressure was rewarded with another try as great support play from backs and forwards eventually put Martin Roberts in for the try a which Jones again converted and there was still time for the Blues kicking machine to add penalty before the half time whistle was blown.

Half Time:     Kettering 22            Derby 3

The game was practically all over straight from the kick off as the Derby kick was ran straight back by Kevin Osborne and then Chris Davis before his pass put the ever supporting Rory Keir in for the try and midway through the half he scored again as this time after some great play from Satala and his fellow Blues backs put skipper Ryan James in the clear and his unselfish pass put Keir in for his second try of the match, this time Tim Jones added the extras.

Kettering with the game won seemed to ease of in the last quarter and Derby to their credit kept going and were rewarded with two converted tries as they refused to give up, and the Blues will have to be careful of this over their remaining games.

The Blues now have a week off before they have a run of five games, four in the league and an East Midlands Cup semi-final against Midlands 1 Dunstablians and these five game will probably define the whole season and whether it is going to be one of promotion and a cup final come April.

Final Score:  Kettering 34          Derby 17 

Other Scores:

Kettering 2nd XV 9          Derby Wildebeests 15

Scorers: Bruce Keir with 3 penalties.

Rushden & Higham 2nd XV        22          Kettering 3rd XV 22

East Midlands League

Scorers:  Harvey Smith; Andrew Slack; Chris Cross; Craig Andrews plus 1 conversion from Rob Vials.

Kettering 5th XV 19          Rushden & Higham 3rd XV  15

Scorers: Tom Elliott; Ryan Daisley; Steve Fordham plus 2 conversions from Shane Jackson.

 

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