DUDLEY Kingswinford hit top spot in Midlands One West with victory at Sutton Coldfield.

While Sutton were very much up for this crucial game, home nerves were on edge and DK spent most of the first quarter inside the Sutton half and after 23 minutes were 12-0 up courtesy of four Gareth Bown penalties.

They had several opportunities to have made this a far more substantial lead but the home sides defence was excellent, snuffing out all threats.

DK rued their profligacy as Sutton soon redressed the balance with two converted tries to take a deserved lead before half time.

But in the second half DK upped the ante and their superior fitness began to tell on the tiring Sutton pack.

Relentless pressure saw DK’s Man of the Match, exciting young centre Stefan Shillingford at his best. He scored one try and made another for Tom Weaver in a superb display of pace and power that left the home side reeling.

DK had front row problems going into the game. Highly rated tight head Al Francis was ruled out with a pulled muscle and with Stefan Thorpe still unavailable, the ever reliable Dan Shakespeare stepped into the breech.

Shillingford replaced Tom Weaver at centre.

Though DK managed to lose the first scrum against the head they took the lead with a Bown penalty after three minutes when Sutton were offside in front of their posts. They were offside again after 13 minutes and Bown increased DK’s lead to 6-0.

Sutton, desperate to do well in front of the large crowd, continued to incur the referee’s wrath with centre Josh Groom getting a 12th minute yellow card for a late tackle on James Jefferson.

DK went further ahead after 13 minutes when desperate defence in front of their posts saw Sutton penalised yet again, this time for a tackled man playing the ball.

The visitors might have scored after 20 minutes when a length of the field move saw Simon Fletcher streak clear and pass inside to Shillingford who was brought down inches from the line.

But Sutton continued to infringe under pressure and hands in the ruck on 23 minutes gave Gareth Bown his fourth successful penalty to make it 12-0.

Out of the blue, Sutton scored a fine try after 24 minutes. Great ball from fly half Rowlands led to an excellent handling move which carved open the DK cover for left wing Rob Watts to cruise in close to the posts.

Rowland converted and Sutton were back in the game at 12-7.

Sutton scored a disputed second try after 32 minutes. From a ruck in front of the DK posts a Sutton player dropped the ball but was unsighted by the referee. DK were guilty of waiting for the whistle as the ball was flung out to loose head prop Brook Davies who steamed through Matt Groves to score. Rowlands added the extras and Sutton were ahead 14-12 at the break.

Buoyed by their two try salvo, Sutton poured forward at the re-start but great defence from the visitors repelled everything the home side could throw at them.

Sutton’s only reward for a ten minute bout of pressure was a neatly taken 48th minute drop goal from Alan Rowlands that nudged tham further ahead to 17-12.

DK needed to dig deep at this stage. Rowlands missed a 56th minute penalty for Sutton before DK really began to turn the screw.

Shillingford broke through on 61 minutes but his pass to Tom Weaver was knocked on with the line beckoning.

Sutton messed up under pressure at the scrum and DK regained the ball which was flung out to Shillingford. The powerful young centre was not to be denied this time as he launched himself at the Sutton line from 10 metres to go over for a superb try. Bown secured the vital conversion to give DK a narrow 19-17 lead on 62 minutes.

DK were now on top and most of the remaining minutes were spent in the home half.

To add insult to injury they denied Sutton even a bonus point as they scored a second try to make the game safe after 78 minutes.

DK had penned Sutton in their own half for fully five minutes when, from a ruck on the 22, Shillingford made another bulldozing break almost up to the goal line before sending in fellow centre Tom Weaver who touched down the killer try at the posts.

Bown converted for a final score of 26-17 to send the DK faithful home very happy indeed.