Sat 7 Sep 2024
The final score of 3-28 in no way reflected the amount of effort put in by the Redditch players or the closeness of much of the play.
Indeed, a couple of lapses in discipline which resulted in Yellow Cards cost the home team dearly.
Redditch started brightly and were awarded a penalty which Will Spires duly converted on their first visit to the Keresley 22.
This spurred the visitors on and they mounted sustained attacks which were well defended by Redditch. Eventually the pressure told with Keresley crossing for the first try of the match, after just 10 minutes.
The next 20 minutes saw consistent attacks from both sides but sound defence frustrated the attacks. Redditch full back Rory Allen brought off several one on one try saving tackles with a man of the match performance.
On 34 minutes Redditch Captain Will Spires took exception to some treatment he was receiving on the floor and received a yellow card.
Moments later Keresley executed a beautiful switch move which put their 12 into the space where Will would have been to cross by the posts taking the half time score to 3-14.
Both sides threw everything into the opening period of the second half with Redditch frustrating Keresley at the lineout as they continually had their lineout disrupted. However, a couple of penalties put the visitors into a position where they were driving towards the home side line, only for veteran scrum half James Mills to mistime his intervention resulting in a penalty try and yellow card. Once again Redditch were down to 14 men, After defending valiantly for almost all the 10 minutes the numbers told and Keresley were able to take the score to 3-28.
With their full complement back Redditch fought back strongly but, despite 4 penalties in the last 5 minutes, could not breach the Keresley defence.
Redditch scrum was better organised and competitive
Tom Mclarney stands up to his opposite man during Redditch's strong defensive display
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