DUDLEY Kingswinford didn’t hide their dismay after losing out to fellow strugglers Hull 25-20 in a crunch National Two North clash.

Team boss Gordon Bannatyne admitted: “We didn’t take our chances when we had them and then suffered from lapses in concentration. “It didn’t help that one of Hull’s tries came from an interception”.

DK, who have yet to win this season, were missing key back row players Pete Knight and Jon Tideswell, forcing them to bring former skipper Ben Connett back out of retirement to help fill the breach.

They were also able to call upon Stourbridge tight head prop Tom May to help boost their youthful pack.

Consequently, DK made a promising start and penned Hull back inside their own half for the opening 10 minutes.

But once Hull counter-attacked, they scored a try through left wing Dominic Lespierre which James Cameron converted and then added a penalty.

DK hit back with a try from full-back Connah Jones to trail by a slender 10-5 margin at half-time.

Hull got on top in the second half when prop Lloyd Harrison forced his way over for an unconverted try.

Cameron then kicked a penalty before Hull openside flanker Ben Dorrington intercepted a wayward DKs pass and sprinted half the length of the pitch to score, Cameron kicked the extras to put Hull 25-5 ahead.

With nothing to lose, DK pressed forward and were rewarded with tries from lock forwards Nick Murphy and skipper Ed Parry, while fly half Gareth Bown added a conversion.

But the game ended in controversy when DKs centre Jimmy Gore was sent off for alleged foul play following the intervention of the assistant referee.

Bannatyne said: “The sending off was a complete and utter travesty. “There was no malice whatsoever and Jimmy is distraught. “There was no reaction from any of the players and Hull have offered to support him.

“It’s a nonsense that the touch judge intervened as it was right at the end of what had been a well contested game.”

DK make the short journey to Bromsgrove this Saturday and hope to have Stourbridge players Ashley Oyekan and Ciaran Moore on loan.