Red-hot DK fire out a warning to title rivals ahead of Newbold clash

DK head into the game fresh from last weekend’s thumping 51-0 North Midlands Cup semi-final win at Bromsgrove and with the belief they can inflict a first defeat of the campaign on their Warwickshire hosts.

Shillingford’s men currently sit third in the table, just three points behind the leaders.

The director of rugby said: “We know we have the game to go there and get a result.

“It’s all about sticking to the game-plan. If we do that, then we have a great chance.

“Newbold were always going to be strong this season, they are very good at what they do. But we are going there with the intention of winning the game.”

Shillingford admitted Saturday’s superb win at Bromsgrove could not have come at a better time.

DK were thrashed 57-8 at Finstall Park earlier in the campaign but comprehensively avenged that defeat, with Shillingford believing they have delivered a psychological blow against the team currently sitting second in the league.

Nick Adams opened the scoring with a try just past the 10-minute mark and then added a penalty to give the visitors an early 10-0 advantage.

Josh Brown put the finishing touches on an excellent move for the second try of the afternoon, before scores for Callum Nicholls and Stefan Shillingford effectively put the game out of Bromsgrove’s reach with only half-an-hour on the clock.

An Adams penalty moved the score on to 30-0 early in the second period. The next try was scored by Danny Hawkins, with Tommy Walker quickly adding DK’s sixth of the game after exchanging passes with Shillingford.

Bromsgrove’s misery was not ended there, with James Ryan’s converted try taking the visiting team’s total past the 50-point mark late on. DK will now face either Bridgnorth or Newport in March’s final.

Shillingford said: “It is nice to have that occasion to look forward to later in the season.

“The other, perhaps more important aspect, is that we landed a psychological blow against Bromsgrove ahead of playing them again in the league in a few months.

“Our game has improved massively since we were beaten there in September.

“We are simply playing better rugby, making better decisions both with and without the ball. Earlier in the season we were perhaps trying too hard to force things and getting punished. This game is all about execution and at the moment we are doing precisely that.

“There was a bit of talk afterward from Bromsgrove about players they had missing but it was the same for us. We rested a few lads knowing we were going to Newbold.

“Since beating Bournville in the previous round of the cup we have started to put in the kind of performances we need.

“Now it is just a case of maintaining this form. There is no doubt we are playing with confidence.”