DK dig deep to bag win and hit the top

A battling 13-8 success at Newbold, coupled with Kenilworth’s first defeat of the season, lifted DK into pole position on points aggregate.

And head coach Neil Shillingford was delighted to emerge unscathed from a testing afternoon where conditions forced DK to ditch their usual attacking game-plan.

“The pitch was better than we expected, but the conditions weren’t great,” said Shillingford.

“It was a tough encounter and it was just a question of getting the job done, which we managed to do.

“There were some strange refereeing decisions for both sides which didn’t help with the flow of the game. It was a bit of a stop-start affair.

“We always go looking for the bonus point, but on this occasion it was all about securing the win.

“We were happy to get the win, and then we got back in the changing room and saw the other results, it made it a really good day.

“We have gone top of the league for the first time in a while and I would rather have the points in the bank as opposed to be further down playing catch up.”

After an attritional first half which ended with DK trailing 8-0, the game swung on a a triple substitution made by Shillingford early in the second half, with one of the replacements, James Fildes, claiming DK’s match-winning try.

“We made a triple substitution early in the second half and it was pleasing to see them made the impact we needed,” added Shillingford.

“We had picked a squad for an attritional type of game and that was what we got. We had a few more abrasive type of players because we knew it wasn’t going to be an expansive game.”

DK are back on home soil on Saturday when they square up to local rivals Old Halesonians.

“We have a couple of tough games coming up,” said Shilligford. We have a local derby with Old Halesonians on Saturday and then we go to Stoke the following weekend.

“We will make sure the lads are focused and ready for Saturday’s game.

“We lost at home to Old Hales last season and we know they will raise their game against us.”

Sam Vaughan added a conversion and two penalties to Fildes’ try.

Old Halesonians warmed up for their derby clash with a hard-fought win.

They climbed up to seventh after edging to a 20-19 success at home to Droitwich.

Stourbridge Lions endured a frustrating afternoon as they lost 25-15 at home to Sutton Coldfield.

Lions travel to Whitchurch on Saturday.