Silhillians 29 - 10 Kidderminster

Sils got off to their typically quick start when at home and seized the initiative straight from the kick off. Within five minutes Sils had created a two man overlap and Stephen Hawkins showed good wheels coming into the line from Full Back to cross the whitewash with his right wing still available if needed. Sils continued to dominate territorially but were not able to break through again until the half hour mark when they won a scrum against the head forty metres out, quick hands in the backs allowed Ed Emmet to round his man for Sils second try which was converted by Stephen Hawkins. Kidderminster had not threatened Sils’ try line but five minutes before the break they won a penalty some fifteen metres inside the hosts half and their fly-half struck his penalty sweetly to open the visitors account.

Only nine points ahead Sils needed to start the second half brightly and they did, scoring within five minutes when lax defending allowed Ed Emmett to latch on to a hopeful kick, he was hauled down just under the post but the support was there from Stephen Hawkins to dive over for his second try, the simple conversion giving Sils a 19-3 lead. To Kidderminster’s credit they raised their game and enjoyed their best spell of the match. A couple of penalties kicked to the corner and some quickly taken tap penalties put real pressure on the home side and Kidderminster were rewarded when the replacement prop burrowed over for a try which was duly converted to cut the deficit to 19-10. Five minutes later Sils applied pressure to the visitors and forced a turnover in the 22 and Tom Waters ran in a bonus point try. Kidderminster responded again when some good link play created an opening but they were unable to take the final pass with the try line beckoning and the chance of a losing bonus point was gone. Deep into time added on Sils pushed Kidderminster off their own defensive scrum and Sils worked the narrow side for their fifth with Dave Edwards diving over in the corner to kill off the match. Sils enjoy a weekend off next week but will be back in action away at Cheltenham 22nd October and at home against the league leaders, Newbold on Avon a week later.