Belper vs. Kesteven (03/11/2018)

Kesteven 1st XV came agonisingly to claiming a hard-fought away win at second-placed Belper. Tries from Captain Gavin Purvis and Dan Turner (2) couldn’t grab the points away to a strong Belper side.

The early stages of the first half proved difficult for K’s. The drop-kick wasn’t dealt with, and this allowed an early score for Belper, capitalising upon poor K’s defence around the ruck to score under the posts to go 7-0 up. Another try from the hosts took them into a 12 point lead, so Kesteven needed to react. The going got tougher as hooker, Xanti Xipu went off injured in the early stages.

After strong phase play, the away side grabbed their opening score through Gavin Purvis. Fullback Ben Whinney’s conversion from out wide clipped the post, leaving K’s only a converted score from drawing level. K’s pushed on, and yet again after sustained pressure deep in the Belper twenty-two, flanker Dan Turner stormed into the corner, bearing several defenders to take K’s within two points. Whinney’s conversion from out wide again hit the posts. A third score from the men in black looked imminent, but Belper held on to go into halftime two points to the good.

The second half got underway as K’s looked to push on. Needing only a penalty to take the lead, K’s reclaimed their own restart, carrying on playing on the front foot. Despite this, Belper could’ve gone five ahead, as a straightforward penalty was pushed wide by the fly-half, but the home side did further their lead as the open side winger kicked through past the K’s defence towards the corner only to be met by a marauding James Goodrich, slamming the winger into touch. However, the referee deemed this as an illegal no arms-tackle, yellow carding Goodrich and awarding the home side a penalty try, extending their lead to nine points.

This served as a wake up call for K’s. A response was necessary and after possession changed hands frequently in midfield, back-rower Dan Turner ran in his second of the day as K’s made use of an overlap out wide. With Whinney substituted, centre Will Cann had kicking responsibilities. His effort from out wide hit the post for the third time today, but this left the away outfit only four points behind. Another missed penalty again from Belper was a huge let off for K’s. With time running out and tensions running high, this over-spilled into a fracas. Despite being started by the Belper fly-half who began to look overly frustrated, it was K’s forward Tom Webster who received Kesteven’s second yellow card of the day. K’s remained at fourteen men as centre Goodrich returned from the bin.

Camped deep in their own half with only one minute left on the clock, K’s needed to come up with something special to go the distance. A break from James Goodrich in midfield brought K’s up to halfway but the referee called a knock on in contact at the breakdown. This wrapped up proceedings, with Belper claiming a narrow win. But without any doubt, K’s could travel back to Lincolnshire with their heads held high.

Belper 19-15 Kesteven.

1. Robert Sheardown
2. Xanti Tito Xipu
3. Gavin Purvis
4. Will Pert
5. Olie Hanson
6. Tom Webster
7. Dan Turner
8. Charlie Pirie

9. Ben Addlesee
10. Adam Draper
11. Ben Betts
12. William Cann
13. James Goodrich
14. Harry Cox
15. Ben Whinney

16. Richard Armstrong
17. Kenneth Lines
18. Chris Warden