Kings Norton 19

Old Yardleians 30

FLOODLIGHTS saved the day as two referees cried off during the morning meaning it took until 3pm for this game to start.

Even then Norton's woes continued as prop Russell Gauden was delayed at work leaving coach Ian Jackson with no alternative other than to draft veteran 52-year-old Dicky Brookes in again for his second outing of the year.

Players' unavailability and the team's crippling injury list left Jackson calling on a number of promising rookie players to face a team who play league rugby two levels higher.

Kings opened brightly and it was no surprise when they took a tenth minute lead, Graeme Garrett finishing off a powerful forward drive following a clever long-range kick from Ken Whitehouse who also converted the try.

Old Y's responded with a converted try of their own as their fly-half broke through a couple of tackles to touch down and convert his own try.

The game flowed from end to end with the Kings backs enjoying plenty of early space and freedom and the visitors conceded three penalties inside 20 minutes all of which were converted by Whitehouse to open up a nine-point lead.

Play was held up for five minutes following an injury and from the restart the visitors' experience showed as they caught Norton's forwards on the hop with a powerful drive over the line for an unconverted try to end the half trailing by just four points.

The second half soon became a bit of a romp for Old Y's as the home team's injury list grew with Brookes leaving the field with a back strain.

The visitors added two unconverted tries before Kings briefly rallied and Whitehouse slotted another penalty.

But it was Yards who finished the stronger with another try and penalty.

Kings Norton's selectors will be using the three line whip over the next few days in an attempt to raise a set of front row forwards capable of starting their home league game on Saturday against a Redditch team keen to climb away from the foot of the table.

Saturday's game at Ash Lane starts at 2.30pm.