DUDLEY Kingswinford RFC ran in eight tries as they recorded a great win over third placed Whitchurch.

The home side had been in excellent form, winning five out of their last six, with only league leaders Burton getting the better of them.

DK struggled to turn their dominance into points in a frustrating first half in which a combination of unforced errors and dour defence from Whitchurch pegged them to a meagre 7-10 lead at half time.

But they got their act together brilliantly in the second period to register a further six tries on their way to a comprehensive victory.

There were a cou ple of changes to last week’s side. Robbie Jones was unavailable so Jordan Brookes moved to scrum half with Gareth Davies replacing him in the centre. Ben Connett replaced Shaun Griffiths in the second row with Dan Shakespeare, Shaun Griffiths and Tommy Huggins on the bench.

DK dominated from the opening whistle and must have enjoyed at least 75 per cent of the territory and possession throughout as they firmly controlled the loose and stole no less than seven of the home sides lineout throws in the first half alone.

It took Whitchurch fully 10 minutes before they even crossed the halfway line.

The home side were harried and pressured into conceding penalties but it was not to be a good day for goal kicking and DK missed three early kicks at goal after 4, 16 and 19 minutes.

The pressure eventually told after 26 minutes, DK ran consecutive penalties and the ball was swung right to Gareth Bown who left the cover for dead with a couple of trademark sidesteps before crossing for an unconverted try and a 0-5 lead.

Ben Connett and Ed Parry were creating mayhem on the Whitchurch lineout throws and the home lock Ollie Bate was sinbinned after 32 minutes as frustration grew.

DK kicked the penalty for touch and from the lineout Stefan Thorp barged over for DK’s second try on 33 minutes. The conversion was missed and DK now led 0-10.

Just before half time DK’s profligacy came back to haunt them as Whitchurch stole in for a try in stoppage time.

A loose pass in midfield gave the home side possession and with DK’s cover out of position a quick ruck and a flowing three-quarter move saw right wing Mike Woodhouse in for a well worked try. Fly half Danny Nicholas’s fine conversion from touch made it 7-10.

Nicholas was wide with a penalty for Whitchurch after 41 minutes before DK again cranked up the pressure.

After 45 minutes a midfield maul was driven 20m almost up to the home line before Stefan Thorp went in to score his second and DK’s third try.

Gareth Bown converted for DK to lead 7-17. But another unforced howler on the DK 22 let Whitchurch in for their second try on 47 minutes. A poor pass back from a maul left centre Tom Weaver in trouble, Whitchurch quickly re-gained and re-cycled the ball and full back Henry Hockenhull was quickly sent in at the posts. Nicholas converted to make it 14-17.

The see-saw sequence continued when DK scored a fourth try after 56 minutes thanks to Gareth Davies.

DK now at last began to turn their pressure into points., Pete Knight going over after Danny Nicholas was sinbinned on 64 minutes.

The writing was on the wall and a sixth try duly arrived on 69 minutes after slick interpassing down the left wing gave Ian Langford space to power over wide out.

Bown’s conversion took DK out of site at 14-36 but there was more to come.

Now oozing with confidence DK put a splendid move together on 77 minutes giving them a three man overlap. Tom Weaver did not need the two men outside him as he dotted down DK’s seventh try.

Bown then added a sensational individual try, stepping and dummying past several bewildered opponents to touch down DK’s eighth try of the match after 79 minutes.