Kesteven Under 14s are victorious against Southwell Rugby Club

Kesteven Under 14s progressed from the second round of the NLD competition after a 29-7 success in their first-ever meeting with Southwell on Sunday.

Both teams tested each other's strengths for the first 10 minutes with neither side giving ground.

Southwell had pace in their centre back line, running on to the passed ball several times, but the Kesteven boys upped their defensive tackling and did not allow them to break through.

A set piece off a scrum then went swiftly through the Kesteven backs’ hands to their number 14 winger who out-paced the Southwell defence to try behind the posts and secure the conversion.

For a further few minutes, possession ebbed back and forth until a Kesteven counter-ruck secured the turnover, the ball again zipping out to the wing.

This time the Southwell defence was ready, but so was the Kesteven support, first from 13 then from the second row number six who drove through for his first try of the season.

K’s boys’ confidence was high now as their hooker at number two plucked an open ball from a poorly executed Southwell ruck.

It was followed by several well-worked forwards phases, culminating in a powerful drive from flanker number four to go over close to the posts. Number 13 converted easily, making it 19-0 at half-time.

Southwell came out fighting with a number eight pick and go scrum on Kesteven's 22 line which caught the defence napping for a converted try.

K’s set-piece again came to the fore with two lineouts resulting in tries for number 13 and second row number five, making it 29-7 at the whistle.

Kesteven's first team recorded their 12th successive win in Counties 3 Midlands East (North) after a 10-34 win at Grimsby on Saturday.

Henry Parker picked up two tries for the unbeaten league leaders with Dan Turner, Jack Palin, Gav Purvis and Will Walker also scoring while Theo Mussell slotted two conversions.

K's host Newark 2nds at Woodnook on Saturday.