Rampant DK kick off year with an 11-try demolition

The result – in their first match of 2022 – moved DK up to ninth in the table, still 19 points shy of their vanquished visitors who occupy seventh.

Thomas Walker got the first of his three tries after just two minutes, with Callum Nicholls and Joseph Dunn both adding to the score inside the opening 12 minutes.

Benjamin Rhodes had the bonus point wrapped up on the half-hour mark, with Walker then crossing twice more just after the interval to complete his hat-trick.

Dunn, Kieron Williams and James Jefferson also got in the act before Samuel Vaughan touched down – adding to the 15 points he kicked with the boot.

And Stef Shillingford put the seal on the success four minutes from time for a rampant DK ahead of a tough trip to title-chasing Sheffield on Saturday.

Stourbridge got back to winning ways in National Two North as they kept their promotion hopes alive with a 32-17 victory over Chester.

Stour did the majority of the damage in the first half, going in at the break with a 27-3 advantage.

Tobi Wilson opened the scoring with the hosts’ only converted try of the day – Michael Heaney kicking the extras – while Afeafe Haisila, Tatenda Mukarati, Heaney and Mark Harrison also crossed in the first half.

Chester only had a penalty to show for their efforts and were well and truly out of contention when Wilson scored his second try in the 66th minute.

Two converted tries inside the final 10 minutes did allow Chester to make the scoreline look a little more respectable, but the damage was long done.

Midlands One West leaders Lichfield turned on the style, scoring 15 tries in their stunning 95-7 triumph over Droitwich.

In a one-sided affair, the home side made a quick start with centre Matt Hurley going over after two minutes. This set the tone of the day as the Myrtle Greens set about a steady stream of tries including three from Matt Cowley; two each from Greg Massey, Paul Maxwell-Keys and Joe Bourne; as well as a penalty try and one score each for Charlie Milner, Rich Burton, Sam Benson and Adam Spinner.

Old Halesonians beat Stratford-upon-Avon 18-16, but Wolverhampton went down 26-3 at Ludlow.

Midlands Two West (North) leaders Walsall remain on top of the pile after a 31-15 victory over Crewe & Nantwich.

Walsall scored a try within 30 seconds of kick-off as centre Adam Tamilio made a strong tackle, collected the ball an then fed Rob Angell, who teed up Will Hennessey.

Hennessey converted his own try and then added a penalty as Walsall continued to push forward, with George Perkins breaking through for the second try and then exchanging passes with Angell for the latter to get his own name on the scoresheet.

Crewe & Nantwich attempted to fight back in the second half, getting 10 points of their own, before Max Brown was able to give Walsall some breathing space by securing a bonus point with the hosts’ fourth try.

Hennessey also secured his fourth conversion, making Crewe’s late try mere consolation.

The game also marked a historic occasion for Walsall as James,Ryan and Adam Tamilio became the first set of three brothers to play for the first XV at the club.

Elsewhere, Stafford were 55-22 victors over Newcastle (Staffs), with Quade Boal stepping past a couple of desperate tackles to score the first try of the afternoon.

Within minutes, Boal had his second try and Christian Stelian his second conversion – before Nick Oxley broke away and Jerry Qasenivalu mopped up try number three. Stelian converted.

Newcastle finally put seven points on the board, but Stelian took the bonus point try, which he then converted give Stafford a half-time lead of 28-7 lead.

Three quick-fire Newcastle tries after the interval – with only a Stelian penalty penalty in reply for Stafford – left just nine points between the sides with 20 minutes still to play.

However, Stafford regrouped and surged clear – first with a Dan Watts try, converted by Stelian, and then when captain Louis Dewsbury raced half the length of the pitch to score.

And Oxley put some gloss on the scoreline with two late tries to round off an excellent afternoon.

Meanwhile, Stourbridge Lions went down to a 32-12 defeat at home to old Saltleians.

Kidderminster piled the pain on bottom club Pinley in Midlands Two West (South), racking up a 62-0 victory.

Aldridge picked up just their third win of the season in Midlands Three West (North), battling to a 10-7 victory over Clee Hill.

Elsewhere in the division, third-placed Burntwood won 29-24 at Veseyans, while Eccleshall lost 42-19 at Shrewsbury.

Third-bottom Essington edged out Wednesbury 20-16 to move eight points clear of their hosts in Midlands Four West (North).

Fifth-placed Willenhall closed the gap on fourth-placed Market Drayton with a 28-7 triumph on home turf, while Warley went down to a 48-0 defeat at leaders Oswestry and third-placed Rugeley were surprisingly beaten 28-22 by Trentham.

Cannock earned a high-scoring 48-29 triumph over St Leonards in Midlands Five West (South), while Stourport went down to a 36-23 defeat at home to runaway leaders Birmingham & Solihull.

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