DUDLEY Kingswinford RFC hit top form against lowly Nuneaton Old Edwardians.

After falling behind against the run of play at the start DK scored 11 tries, five in the first half and six in the second.

Despite the impressive scoreline DK had to work hard for the points and while they were well on top throughout in the set scrums, they found it more difficult in the loose where Nuneaton competed strongly.

The visitors did however persist in a rather suicidal kicking game, which was meat and drink to DK’s pacy back line, and they ultimately paid a heavy price.

DK now have four games away from home to complete their season, at Old Hales, Bournville, Stoke and Camp Hill and whilst they may have missed the chance of a play-off spot this season, in this kind of form they could make it very interesting.

There were four changes to last week’s side, Dan Shakespeare (hooker), Mike Jones (o/centre) and Robbie Jones r/wing replaced Luke Greenwood, Tom Weaver and Matt Grove respectively, whilst Ed Nicholls was in the scrum half position vacated by Robbie Jones.

After their scrum had twice been demolished in the first five minutes things looked rather bleak early on for Nuneaton but they gained an improbable lead after nine minutes when DK lost the ball in midfield.

After further intense pressure DK finally broke through after 17 minutes. From a scrum near the visitor’s 22 the ball passed through the hands of Pete Knight, Ian Langford, Ed Nicholls and Gareth Bown who sent in Mike Jones for the try to make it 5-5.

They went ahead barely a minute later as Pete Knight clinically relieved NOE’s of the ball, before flinging it out to Gareth Bown who mesmerised the visitor’s cover with a mazy run to the posts. Nick Adams converted for 12-5.

Stuart Hole was sinbinned on 22 mins for preventing release of the ball and a third DK try duly arrived after 27 minutes through Adams.

Try number four came on 33 minutes with a great catch and break from James Jefferson, followed by an even better break from Gareth Davies, saw him pass inside close to the line to hand Mike Jones his second try to make it 24-5.

After a short lull DK again attacked strongly and Andy McEwen added a fifth try just before half-time to make the score 31-5 at the break.

Nuneaton hit back at the start of the second period and fly half Greg Way finished off a neat move to narrow the deficit to 31-12.

But DK replied almost immediately as Bown latched onto the loose ball 10m out and danced through to the posts, Nick Adams converting for 38-12 on 48 minutes.

The home side poured forward again and after 50 minutes Ed Parry emerged from a mass of players to run powerfully to the posts for try number seven. Adams again converted for a score of 45-12.

A quick tap penalty saw wing Nuneaton James Wilson in at the corner to make it 45-17 after 54 minutes. DK were then penalised for shoving too early in the scrum and Hole quickly tapped and went before DK could respond and scored at the posts on 61minutes. Way converted to narrow the gap to 45-22.

But DK added four tries in the final 15 minutes to complete the rout, with Davies, McEwan and Ian Langford twice going over. Adams ended up with nine conversions from 11 kicks.