DUDLEY Kingswinford RFC opened their new season with an entertaining and convincing win over National League Three South West side Cheltenham.

The game was played across three 30 minutes sessions and the hosts won each period for a comprehensive final tally of 57-12.

Though both sides were without key players due to injuries, holidays and unavailability, there was still a feast of excellent rugby for the large Heathbrook crowd.

Several players caught the eye. Jamie Ramsey looked very sharp at No 8 and lock and Ed Parry looks set to continue his excellent form from last season.

It was good to see locks Ollie Shakespeare and Shaun Griffiths back in contention and both did well.

Gareth Bown put DK 3-0 up with a fourth minute penalty when Cheltenham were caught holding on.

The visitors however had the better of the opening exchanges and created a couple of excellent chances only for poor handling and solid defence from DK to deny them. Cheltenham were finding Stefan Shillingford very hard to handle and a storming break saw him split the Cheltenham cover to set up a try for the supporting Luke Greenwood, who went in under the posts for a 10-0 lead at the end of session one.

DK made several changes at the break with Pete Knight and Tui Asi Pito coming into the back row and skipper Ben Connett at lock.

DK increased their lead on 38 minutes with a superb virtuoso try from fly half Gareth Bown, who added the conversion to go 17-0 up.

The home side now had the measure of their visitors and scored another fine try after 42 minutes. Slick approach play and excellent handling saw DK quickly up to the Cheltenham ten metre line from where a tremendous burst of pace and power from Tui Asi Pito scattered the Cheltenham cover like ninepins and his scoring pass found wing Ben Coles who touched down at the posts. Bown converted for 24-0.

Cheltenham then finally got off the mark to trail 24-5 at the end of session two.

A superbly crafted try saw DK forge further ahead after 61 minutes. Quick lineout ball was swept out to new coach John Higgins in at fly half and he fed Tui Asi Pito who in turn switched inside to James Jefferson to sprint 50 metres to the posts.

On 67 minutes Cheltenham managed a second try but Dk cut loose with a final flourish of four tries in the last ten minutes.

First Ian Langford ploughed over before Ramsey, Bown and Ollie Shakepeare completed the rout.