Kenilworth Men extended their unbeaten run in the Regional 1 Midlands league to seven games, with a 50-28 win over Bromsgrove - the last side to defeat them, back in November.
Bromsgrove started the better and early pressure saw the home side concede a string of penalties and they were eventually punished, with a penalty kick converted from in front of the posts. Score 0-3.
From the restart, Kenilworth continued to incur the wrath of the referee, much to the consternation of the home crowd, and at times, tempers became frayed on the pitch. On one occasion the pot boiled-over, with the Bromsgrove 7 and Kenilworth 3 both shown yellow and and given 10 minutes to cool off.
With Payne in the bin, it was only a matter of time until the next scrum, which would see the introduction of Ted Bromwich from the bench, to make his senior debut, with Robinson withdrawn.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Kenilworth skipper Thompson scored the first try of the game, finishing off a good move that started with a lineout on the left.
Following successive phases from the heavies, the ball eventually reached Freemantle to deliver a perfectly timed pass to Thompson, who delayed his run to slice through the defence and score 10 metres to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed making the score 5-3.
Fifteen minutes later, following some see-saw rugby and a kicking duel for territory, Kenilworth flanker Chaz Hudson broke through and galloped towards the visitors' 10 metre line.
Kenilworth were looking to further stretch the Bromsgrove defence but an adjudged, illegal intervention stopped play and earned a Bromsgrove forward 10 mins in the sin-bin.
From the penalty and kick for the corner, the resultant catch and drive was finished off by Hudson, 10 metres to the left of the sticks.
In the final surge for the line, two Bromsgrove players clashed heads, and both unable to continue and adding to the visitors' injury woes, having already had to replace their scrum half inside the first 10 minutes. The conversion was missed, score 10-3.
With less than 10 to go until half time, Kenilworth conceded yet another penalty - the tenth and counting - which saw the Bromsgrove 10 kick over his second three points of the afternoon. Score 10-6.
Straight from the restart, Kenilworth converted another trademark kick to the corner, catch, drive and score. Impressive hooker Carey was last one up with the ball and the try. Jowett with the conversion to make the score 17-6.
In the first 10 mins after the restart Kenilworth were first to trouble the scoreboard. Working down the left, Boulton set Thompson through the gap to feed Andressen in open-field.
The great Dane showed composure enough to commit the defender and pass to wing Opoku-Fordjour who duly rounded the final defenders to score Kenilworth's fourth and bonus point try of the game. The conversion was good, the score 26-6.
From the next play, talismanic Boulton was penalised and sent to the sin-bin for 10 mins. Compounding the issue, the home side were further penalised allowing the visitors to reach the home 22, and score their first try of the afternoon. Conversion missed, score 26-11.
With the game approaching the hour mark and with Boulton back in the trenches, Kenilworth fly-half Jowett rounded off some slick handling to score Kenilworth's fifth try on the wide left. Score 31-11.
Five minutes later, the depleted visitors, now looking increasingly forlorn, were starting to fall off tackles as Kenilworth bombarded the Bromsgrove defensive line.
Attacking from around 30 metres out, Hudson combined power and slight of hand to pass out of the tackle, for the returning Young to score under the posts. Conversion good. Score 38-11.
Minutes later Kenilworth were in again. Neat approach play by the three-quarters saw flanker Grace breakthrough and neatly offload out of the tackle to the supporting Calviezel-Cox to dot down under the posts. Conversion added. Score 45-11.
Despite the score line Bromsgrove rallied and scored their second try following multiple phases of play. Conversion missed. Score 45-16.
With 10 minutes to go, Bromwich and fellow debutant Davenport came on for Kavanagh and Carey. Bromwich announcing his return in winning a penalty for his team, with the Bromsgrove player penalised for not releasing.
Bromsgrove now chasing the game and their only possibility of a league point being the four try bonus, attacked from deep with a cross field kick-pass to the right winger, who wrong footed Opoku Fordjour to score from 70 metres. Conversion missed. Score 45-21.
From the restart the Bromsgrove 6 was sin-binned for a high tackle on Rawlins. Kick to the corner, lineout, drive, try to Andressen. Conversion missed. Score 50-21.
Before the final whistle Bromsgrove claimed their final converted, try of the afternoon taking the score to 50-28. Five league points to Kenilworth, one to Bromsgrove.
Next up for Kenilworth is another of the top five teams when they travel to Burton-upon-Trent.
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