RFU Under 17 National Shield Midland Division Quarter Final - Kesteven 19 – 0 Stoke Old Boys
Kesteven under 17s lined up for the quarter final of the RFU National Shield (Midlands) as the only Lincolnshire club in the competition. The weather started cold and wet and got worse, leading to a match marked by numerous handling errors by both sides.
Visitors Stoke Old Boys, from Coventry, kicked off with the wind and Kesteven battled the weather and heavy ground for some time. Ks bided their time as they got the measure of their opponents, gradually building the pressure which led inexorably to a try by Joe Berry, under the posts, converted by Conor McCann. Despite several promising breaks by Ks, who despite the wind had most of the territory, the slippery conditions meant that this was the only score of the first half.
As the weather worsened and sleet started to fall, Kesteven started the second half with the wind. In the first minutes of the half, winger James Fearon sneaked over in the corner only to have the score disallowed as the referee was unsighted.
Shortly afterwards however Kesteven’s number 8 Cameron Hudson broke the Stoke defences to run in a try near the touchline. Due to the crosswind, this went unconverted but before long Hudson repeated the breakthrough, this time touching down under the posts and converting it himself, taking the score to 19 – 0.
As the sleet thickened and the wind grew stronger, and with both teams and all officials and spectators soaked and shivering, the Stoke coach decently conceded the game after 50 minutes, leaving Kesteven the victors and very relieved to get back to the warm and dry of the clubhouse.
Ks now await the draw for the semi-finals of the Midland division of the shield.
Kesteven Squad: G Sisson, A Chambers, C Morrissey, C Avison, K Fischer, M Bell, S Molesworth, C Hudson, G Mihill, M Cumming, W Lewis, C McCann, J Berry, K Taylor (capt), T Wood, J Mason, M Cocks, E Chappell, J Fearon.