Pre Match
For the fourth year in a row, late March brought another big game - and a fourth NLD Cup semi-final in succession. Having emerged victorious from the last two semis against an unfortunate Lincoln side, this time K's were up against Matlock. Despite a 100% record against their opponents, K's were expecting a tough test against the Derbyshire side who had enjoyed a strong campaign, beating Melbourne 61-7 (H), Southwell 50-7 (H), Long Eaton 50-0 (A), Stamford 27-24 (A), and West Bridgford 31-19 (H) in the group.
K's were able to name a strong squad for the game:
1. Joe D
2. Will M
3. George S
4. Callum CD
5. Henry S
6. Tom McD
7. Joel S
8. Will H
9. Alf A
10. Alfie O
11. Dylan G
12. Oscar H
13. Rhys S
14. Wyatt B
15. Jacob H
Finishers
1. Thom B
2. Ollie M
3. Dan O
4. Max H
5. Charlie U
6. Sam B
Huge respect and kudos to those who came to watch: James, Robert, Thomas H, Liam, Laurence, Nathan S, Dan W, Aidan, Toby - apologies if I missed anyone!

First Half
Matlock got the game underway, playing into a strong breeze. K's immediately knocked on, giving Matlock a scrum 30m out. As Matlock's backs looked to attack, Joel was immediately knocked out and play was halted as he left the field. It was not the start K's were looking for. Play resumed with a scrum. Matlock ran a couple of plays, but strong K's tackling prevented them from getting over the gainline. K's looked like they had turned the ball over but conceded a knock-on and another scrum, this time on the 10m line. Matlock then knocked the ball on - K's played the advantage and a brilliant 50-22 from Alfred launched K's into Matlock's half for the first time. From the lineout, first Joe D then Alfred and Will M were stopped just short of the line, so K's went to the backs. Rhys cut back inside and made it over the line to score K's opening try with 6 minutes on the clock, 5-0.

Matlock competed well at the restart, winning the ball. But more good K's tackling and jackaling prevented any forward momentum before a turnover enabled Jacob to kick clear. Matlock chipped back, only for Jacob to hoover up the loose ball, step the chaser and launch a counter-attack. He fed Oscar who passed back inside to Alfred. Alfred's grubber turned the defence on their heels, and an excellent chase by Wyatt pinned Matlock on the edge of their 22m. K's then immediately won the ball, burst into the 22m and then go along the backs to Dylan, whose pass back inside was perfect for Sam B to ease over the line for K's second try with just 9 minutes gone. Alfie O added the kick and K's had a 12-0 lead. Sadly, they had also lost another player to injury, with Alfred's kick being his last action of the game.

George gathered the restart under pressure, setting up clean ball for Callum to drive in. Alfie O then cleared K's lines. Will H was on hand to snuff out the counter-attack, and George tidied up the loose offload for K's. Max gathered Jacob's crossfield kick before Wyatt's spotted a gap, offloading well to Alfie O, who was tackled into touch. Matlock won a penalty from the lineout, kicking upfield to earn another lineout just inside K's half. Once again, K's defence prevented any advance on the gainline and forced a knock-on. K's lost a third player at this point, as Callum left the field with a finger injury. From the scrum, the defence deflected Wyatt's kick, with Matlock recovering the ball and running multiple phases into K's brick wall defence before winning a penalty for not rolling away. The kick took Matlock to just outside the K's 22m, and the visitors won the lineout. But errant handling and good pressure from Alfie O forced Matlock back to the halfway line, where K's turned the ball over. Max tidied the bouncing ball, skipping back inside and passing off his left to where K's had an overlap. Will H's pass found Dylan, who found Jacob - he chipped over but the ball just evaded him and ran dead. Matlock won the scrum and ran a couple of phases, but K's defence remained strong and forced the error, resulting in K's possession. Henry steamrollered the first defender, setting up Will M and then Joe D to punch holes. Then along the line, Rhys cut back inside and then Wyatt spotted a gap, passing blind to Jacob, who juggled the ball as he accelerated into the 22m and over the line! 17-0 on 19 minutes.

Matlock won another restart to set up a good attacking platform on the edge of K's 22m. But again the defence was strong, and again the forwards worked wonders to win back the ball for Jacob to kick clear from inside his 22m to beyond the visitors 10m line. Matlock won a penalty from the lineout. The kick was mishit but landed fortunately and was recovered at full tilt by a Matlock back rower who advanced to the edge of the K's 22m. Another penalty, this time for offside, gave Matlock the chance to enter the K's 22m for the first time. They ran it, and won another penalty. It was at this point that K's lost a fourth player - Will H having to leave the field on 24 minutes. Matlock ran it again, eventually getting over the line after the fifth phase, 17-5.

Matlock gathered the ball on the edge of their 22m. It took them multiple phases to move 10m before a forward pass gave possession back to the home team. But not before K's, astonishingly, lost another player - Thom B leaving the field with a concussion (K's second of the game). K's worked the ball along the line before Max's grubber resulted in a Matlock lineout 15m from their own line. K's won the lineout but infringed. The penalty found Max rather than touch. He released Alfie O and set off to create the extra man. Alfie found Jacob who cut back the other way, finding Wyatt and then Joe D who raced deep into the 22m. K's came back along the backs, Jacob's kick almost reached Max on the other wing, but the defender got back, only to kick back to Jacob. However, his pass was narrowly adjudged to have drifted 10m forward! Matlock won a scrum from the penalty, running it to the edge of their 22m where Joe D turned it over. K's broke back into the 22m but Oscar was adjudged to have knocked-on in the tackle. Matlock broke, but knocked-on. K's probed, winning a penalty that resulted in a lineout 5m from the visitors line but were penalised. Matlock ran the ball, making a break outside the 22m where Jacob stepped up to knock the attacker backwards. A couple of phases later, they broke K's line again and, unusually stepped Jacob. Max raced across from his wing to make the covering tackle. K's defence regrouped and withstood several phases before the forwards again turned over the ball, and gave Jacob the chance to kick clear. Moments later the half time whistle blew with the score 17-5.
Although it had been a dominant first half performance from K's, the scoreline was tight and the wind would be in the visitors favour in the second half. It was very much game on!

Second Half
K's restarted the second half and were immediately under pressure as missed tackles gave Matlock a gap. Jacob made the first tackle, Tom McD the second and then Max went in to jackal, winning a penalty for K's for holding on, on K's own 10m line. Wyatt kicked to touch but K's lineout missed the target and wasn't straight, giving Matlock a scrum. A nicely worked move saw K's defend too narrowly, and Matlock were in, 17-10. Game on!

This time the restart was taken by Rhys, giving K's possession. However, play was stopped again shortly after as Callum left the field with a concussion - K's third of the game! From the scrum, Wyatt passed to Rhys, who fed Charlie, and he fended off four defenders en route to the visitors 22m. The ball went loose shortly after but Joe D brilliantly recovered it and popped the ball to Oscar. Oscar found Jacob who drew the defender and made the pass which Matlock managed to fend backwards to prevent Max from scoring a certain try. Matlock were fortunate to be given a scrum and kicked clear, only to find Jacob, who danced into the 22m and offloaded to Charlie, who was stopped just short. Wyatt shipped quick ball to Max, who cut back inside and was halted just short of the line, before Matlock won a penalty. Their kick clear found Jacob who made good metres, then found Sam who was stopped 15m out. Wyatt found Rhys, then Tom McD, Oscar and then Will H who did the rest from 15m, powering through two defenders. 22-10

Matlock's restart found Charlie, who took the ball in, giving K's quick ball which went along a line containing George, Rhys, Dan O, Joe D, Will H, Jacob, Oscar and Tom McD all the way to the Matlock 22m. Henry drove in, then Wyatt shipped it to Rhys, then Dan O, who offloaded to Sam. K's probed blind before coming back, Dan O to George, who threw a long pass to Will H. Will found Jacob, back inside to Oscar who gave a super pass to Max as he was being tackled. Max still had the fullback to beat but showed good strength to get over the line and score K's fifth of the match, 27-10. K's has some breathing space.

K's took the restart but were shortly turned over before winning a scrum for a knock-on. However, Matlock were awarded a penalty from the scrum which they ran. The ball was slow and their chip through ended in touch, giving K's a lineout on their 22m. K's won clean, quick ball and a nice move between Rhys and Charlie advanced K's out of the 22m. Rhys, Tom McD, Jacob and Sam then combined to advance K's to halfway before K's won a penalty for a high tackle which Wyatt knocked into touch for a lineout near the Matlock 10. The lineout ball wasn't clean, but Rhys tidied and found a looping Wyatt. More scrappy ball invited on the defence before K's managed to reset. George's interplay with Joe D was excellent, with Joe offloading back to George who found Henry and then Rhys and Jacob. Rhys was alert to the offload and dodgy through several tackles to put K's on the front foot again. From the ruck, Dan found Jacob, who found Oscar breaking through the line. He drew the fullback well and timed a lovely pass to Charlie to canter over the line and touchdown, 34-10.

K's launched a super counter from the restart, Dan O's long pass finding Rhys who stepped his man, found Oscar, who drew his man and found Tom McD on his own 10m line. With Max in support, Tom burst forward, shaking off tackles on 22m and 5m to score for K's and extend the score to 41-10.

Full of confidence now, K's looked to run again from the restart, but good pressure forced a knock-on, giving Matlock a scrum inside the K's 22m. From there, the number 8 picked and went, showing good speed and power to score. The fullback slotted a lovely kick, to remind K's that there was plenty left to play for, 41-17.

K's restart was safely taken by Matlock, who ran several phases to advance into K's 22m before conceding a penalty, which K's kicked to touch. Matlock stole the lineout before knocking-on to give K's a scrum, from which Jacob's chip was well taken by Matlock. The visitors ran multiple phases, eventually winning a penalty for not rolling away, then earning a second moments later which they kicked to touch inside K's 22m. After a couple of phases, Matlock edged over the line to narrow the deficit even further, adding the kick - 41-24.

K's restart was deep and well taken by Matlock, but Joe D was on hand to earn a penalty (for holding on). K's chose a scrum, from which Charlie, now playing number 8, beat several players and offloaded to Oscar, back inside to Charlie to power over for another K's try, 46-24. The referee blew the final whistle, and K's were, through.

Post Match
MOTM was Tom McD - well played Tom!

Huge respect to Matlock. They deserve great credit for the way they played throughout the whole game, showing great grit and determination. Huge thanks to the Matlock parents and coaches too - a lovely bunch. The game was played in excellent spirit throughout, which is a testament to the two clubs. We know how hard it is to lose a semi-final, but you should be very proud of your achievements this season.