DISENCHANTED Dudley Kingswinford supporters must be wishing this wretched season would end right now - writes NICK PULLEN
A campaign which has lurched from bad to worse, continued this week with a 41-5 beating at home by next-to-bottom Bromsgrove.
Relegation looks inevitable - indeed it's hard to see dismayed DK's winning a single game this season.
With 21 defeats already under their belts, their remaining nine games have already moved into the region of damage limitation.
It would be unkind to criticise the players, many of whom are simply not upto the standard of National League rugby.
Indeed, I applaud them for putting themselves on the line each week, when well aware what the likely outcome will be.
DK's policy of promoting too many young players has proved a mistake and an issue that must be taken up by the new Director of Rugby, who I have been informed should be in place by the end of this month.
However, his mandate will be looking towards next season as this term has already been written off.
I understand there has been a number of applicants and I hope the appointment is made sooner, rather than later.
Against Bromsgrove, the DK's missed an early chance to take the lead when fly half Kieran Pinches fired wide with a penalty.
But the warning bells soon started ringing with the ease in which opposite fly half Aaron Higgins was allowed to run 50 plus metres to score the opening try on 10 minutes after Bromsgrove had won turnover ball.
A second Bromsgrove try soon followed when flanker David Hughes too easily handed off a would-be tackler to score and Higgins added the conversion.
The only ray of sunshine arrived on the half hour when DK's gathered line-out ball and drove over Bromsgrove's try line where tight head prop Dan Shakespeare supplied the vital touch, Pinches conversion attempt striking the upright.
Impressive Bromsgrove No.8 Solomon Dacres supplied a third try before half time, applying the finishing touch to a lovely handling move.
In the second half, DK's rarely got outside their own half.
A ridiculous reckless pass gifted Bromsgrove a fourth try which was dotted down by hooker George Glenn.
David Hughes bagged his second try when he broke through numerous feeble tackles to score under the posts and Higgins converted to make it 29-5.
A penalty try followed after DK's infringed at a five metres scrum which resulted in a yellow card for Ryan Smitheman.
Then Bromsgrove supplied the icing on the cake when winger Simon Bastock raced over in the corner to complete victory.
Although relieved to get the win under their belt, Bromsgrove realise they also face an almighty fight to avoid relegation, with their own head coach Ross Baxter admitting: "We've got nine games left to save our season".
Disappointed DK's team manager Mark Holloway offered no excuses and claimed: "We allowed Bromsgrove to make too much ground with the ball, as a result, we were always on the backfoot!
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