Kenilworth remain a Long way from safety

With a squad of only 16 and no backs replacement, Kenilworth were always on a slippery slope against one of the National Three Midlands promotion contenders, write Bob Jones.

Add to this, the early loss of playmaker Adam Canning to a leg injury and the re-emergence of the sloppy defensive work that has seen them amass the worst points-against total in the division, and it was curtains.

However, with fellow relegation candidates Burton, Hereford and Peterborough all suffering reverses, Ks’ slim hopes of survival in the National League remain.

With the advantage of both a stiff breeze and slope, the visitors made a sound start.

A steal by Luke Watts and ensuing punt to the corner by Dave Clements saw the ball just go dead, before the excellent Jonathon Cresswell embarked on a bullocking run that nearly split the home defence.

The injury to Canning occurred after seven minutes. While he was receiving intermittent on-field treatment, Kenilworth deservedly opened the scoring with an unconverted try by the hard-working Clements, who subsequently reverted to fly-half, when Canning was forced to retire.

Longton’s potent mix of poise, power and precision gradually came to the fore and it required a good tackle from Mike Rust to save a certain try before a despairing dive by the same player failed to stop Scott Rawlings opening the home account. The try was converted by Chris Buck.

The beefy Longton pack were making things very uncomfortable in the tight, and following one turn of the screw, Buck scampered over for an unconverted try in the 25th minute.

Three minutes later, right-wing Henry Vadka touched down after weak tackling afforded him an easy passage, Buck adding the extras.

To their credit, Kenilworth made decent use of the scraps of possession which they were allowed, and following a penalty to touch by Rob Bennett, and drive over the home line by the pack, Rob Smith got the ball down. The try was unconverted.

That was about as good as it got for the Glasshouse Lane side. Before referee Lee Towers called time, the hosts had added to their tally courtesy of a try by full-back Pete Clifton, converted by Buck, which was the culmination of a slick bout of handling by both forwards and backs.

Longton signalled their intent from the restart, planting the ball, for the first of many times, into touch in the corner and a bungled Ks lineout enabled hooker George Glen to charge over for an unconverted try.

A long-distance touch-finder by Gareth Rawlings then set up a position from which Scott Rawlings, brushed aside several attempts to halt his progress and score his second try, converted by Buck.

Ten minutes later, Gareth Rawlings helped himself to an unconverted try, and within the next ten minutes, with the Ks in disarray, there were three more.

Centre Luke Fowles was next, then Clifton, to which Buck added the extras, and finally, the immense Gareth Rawlings, who rounded off a fine display by also converting.