A DRAMATIC stoppage time penalty from Gareth Bown preserved Dudley Kingswinford’s perfect record in a Heathbrook thriller.

Bown knocked over from 35 metres with the last kick of the game as the hosts survived a huge scare against plucky young opponents.

They won the game by five tries to three but two of the Whitchurch tries came via gift wrapped interceptions and they were regularly punished for a heavy penalty count. Nevertheless DK achieved the win and an all important bonus point that eluded rivals Sutton away at Stratford.

DK were forced into four changes for the game. Hugely influential player-coach Jon Higgins (bruised ribs) was replaced by Tommy Huggins at scrum half. In the pack Shaun Griffiths (knee) was replaced by Ben Connett.

Loose head prop Al Francis was attending a wedding and his place was taken by Rich Kelley and finally Luke Greenwood started at hooker in place of Dan Shakespeare who took a turn on the bench alongside Ed Parry and new signing from Stourbridge Duncan Chance.

DK gave away a rash of penalties in the first few minutes, one being close enough for ‘Church fly half Danny Nicholas to stroke over to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.

The hosts should have scored after six minutes when scrum half Tommy Huggins was sent clear but unfortunately his final pass somehow went directly to his opposite number!

Errors continued and a fifth penalty against after only 14 minutes saw Nicholas double the lead to 6-0.

DK spurned another gilt edged chance on 18 minutes when Rich Kelley burst through the cover with lots of support to his left but ran out of steam.

Whitchurch No 8 Noel Speed was sin-binned after 21 minutes for collapsing a maul. Now against 14 men DK got saw several opportunities go begging as some pretty obvious wrong options were taken.

The home side finally got something right after 23 minutes when Jamie Ramsey drove over straight from a five metre scrum. Gareth Bown added the conversion for DK to lead 7-6.

It didn’t last long as DK went on all out in attack and Stef Shillingford’s 26th minute attempted pass to Jak Davis was picked off by ‘Church winger Adam Teare who cruised in for the interception try, converted by Nicholas to restore the visitor’s lead to 13-7.

DK redoubled their efforts and in their first fluent attack of the game Thorp powered over for a try, again converted by Bown to nudge DK back into the lead at 14-13 after 29 minutes.

But Whitchurch would not lie down and scored a very good try to regain the lead after 33 minutes when they spread the ball wide quickly, catching the DK back line napping for left wing Andy Oaken to cross in the corner for a 20-14 lead.

Nicholas struck a penalty wide for Whitchurch as the second half began, before DK scored a good third try on 45 minutes through Jak Davis to draw within a point.

But they suffered a setback when Olie Shakespeare was sinbinned for an illegal shoulder charge and two Nicholas penalties restored a seven point advantage for the visitors.

But back to full strength DK responded immediately when big Thorp blasted over again from close range and Bown added the extras to make it 26-26.

The momentum was now firmly back with DK but another calamity saw Adam Teare intercept another Shillingford pass and race through to score.

It took just a minute for the hosts to get back on terms as Thorp smashed through once more and Bown’s conversion made it 33 all heading into the final ten minutes.

Then came the late, late drama. First Nicholas was just wide with a penalty attempt for Whitchurch after DK were caught offside. Moments later Bown made no mistake with his chance as DK escaped from an incredible game.