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Diving for the line: DK's Mike Jones scores in the corner

After a little light relief in the North Midlands Cup game last week, DK were back in league action and sadly, back to their losing ways although they had more than enough chances to have taken the points in their home encounter with Broadstreet.

DK made several changes, with Dan Shakespeare and Neil Chivers replacing Paul Coles and Adam Blackford.

Tom McIntosh was at open-side flanker instead of James Bullock.

In the backs Tom Bissell was at fly-half with Simon Fletcher moving to outside centre. Tom Weaver started at inside centre with Mike Jones on the bench. Finally Tommy Huggins made a very creditable first-team debut at scrum-half in place of Alan Mitchell. The last bench place was taken up by Colt's prop Stefan Thorpe.

Rookie hooker, Chivers was given a baptism of fire in the opening scrums as DK were shunted from pillar to post and it did not take long for Street to take the lead after DK twice gave the ball away inside their own half and a couple of astute passes saw centre Josh Fowles score close in which he then converted after 11 minutes.

The host's scrum did improve and they belatedly began to spark but then another horrendous lost ball on 25 minutes saw the visitors pick up, move the ball quickly left to run in another simple try from left wing Dan Phillips.

Broadstreet were suddenly 14-0 up without having had to think too much about it. Just to add to the chaos DK lost their line-out specialist Ben Connett to what looked like concussion after a bang to the head and then centre Simon Fletcher. Despite this and roared on by a partisan crowd DK at last began to put the visitors under heavy pressure. A great 50-metre break from Mike Jones after 34 minutes should have been an easy try for skipper Ian Gowland but he was unable to hold the pass with the line at his mercy.

A minute later the DK pack made 35 metres from a rolling maul only for the visitors to turn it over. DK kept at it and quick ruck ball from Tommy Huggins was swiftly moved down the line for Mike Jones to dive over in the corner to make it 5-14 after 37 minutes. Then Broadstreet pulled down a rolling maul and Cameron Pimlow's penalty in stoppage time made it 8-14.

Dudley kept up the pressure and Cameron Pimlow brought them three points closer at 11-14 after 44 minutes. Pimlow then made a magnificent 65 metres break on 48 minutes, carving through the Street cover with ease.

Less than 10 metres out from the line, he looked set to score what would have been a superb individual try, but instead his outside pass was stifled by the Street cover. At this stage DK were making all the running but the backs passing in the centre was poor and saw several moves break down. After 68 minutes Cameron Pimlow punished another Street infringement and brought the scores level at 14-14 with his third penalty.

With a rare home victory now in sight DK unbelievably let Broadstreet back into the game right from the kick-off when they were penalised.

Street in their first real attack of the second half went for a line-out catch and drive and succeeded with skipper and second row Ed Simpkiss being driven over for an unconverted try after 72 minutes and a 14-19 lead. The visitor's pack never allowed DK back into their half and the final minutes were spent with DK again defending their own line.

10:02am Thursday 6th March 2008

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