DUDLEY Kingswinford’s notched their 13th consecutive win to stay top of Midlands One West but the game was overshadowed by a horrific injury to Walsall’s Alex Woodward.

The second row was trapped under a mass of bodies following a collapsed maul seven minutes into the second half and suffered a badly broken leg as a result DK had used the slight slope and breeze well in the first half to lead 3-26 at the break, having also gained the four try bonus point. But the shocking injury meant a 20 minute stoppage and a move to Walsall’s lower pitch as the ambulance men tended to Alex.

The incident patently affected both sides and the remainder of the second half was pretty scrappy with the sides registering just a try apiece.

Walsall DOR Bob Harding had hinted in the programme notes that the Walsall side would be stronger than the one that lost at Heathbrook and so it proved. DK played some superb stuff in the first half but were never allowed to relax against a strong and committed Walsall outfit.

Unsurprisingly after the long layoff both sides were at full strength. The packs were well matched but the young DK front row edged the “coal face” exchanges. DK also had much the better of the lineout and the back row played out of their skins against a formidable Walsall back three. DK Man of the Match had to be o/s flanker and player coach Pete Knight who had an incredible game.

Walsall took a 3-0 lead with a Matt Wood penalty after three minutes but it didn’t take DK long to hit their straps and they took the lead on six minutes, after Ollie Shakespeare stole a Walsall lineout in side the home 22 and Stefan Thorp was driven over.

DK continued to press strongly and considering the lack of action over the past few weeks played some very good rugby indeed.

They went further ahead after 10 minutes with a superb flowing crossfield move which culminated in left winger Matt Farrington breaking two tackles before touching down. Gareth Bown converted for a 12-3 lead.

Walsall tried hard to respond but DK had their tails up and poured forward at every opportunity. After a couple of close calls they increased their lead further on 14 minutes when fly half Bown’s exquisite inside pass to Gareth Davies at pace saw the DK centre canter in unopposed.

There was to be no letting up and the home side’s cover defence was constantly at full stretch.

DK punished them again on 24 minutes when in almost a carbon copy of the third try, Davies’ slick inside pass returned the compliment and Bown struck for a 26-3 adavantage at the break.

The start of the second half was even for the first few minutes before the game was totally disrupted by Woodward’s awful injury.

Both sides tried hard to get back into some kind of rhythm but the rest of the game was low key.

Walsall were reduced to 14 men on the hour when replacement forward Tim Hucknall was yellow carded for being offside after three consecutive penalties. Strangely instead of taking advantage of the superior numbers DK conceded a try after 66 minutes when flanker Dan Simpson drove over for an uncoverted try after a bout of rare Walsall pressure.

But DK resumed the offensive and after going close on a couple of occasions scored a neat fifth try after 79 minutes when, after heavy forward pressure the ball was swept out to Stef Shillingford whose deft inside pass provided a channel for very impressive replacement centre Tom Weaver to streak through the home cover defence.