Blues struck back, but Joe Daniel was off the mark with a penalty attempt and then the visitors inexplicably turned down 2 kickable penalty opportunities, opting for a lineout. Both these decisions proved fruitless and then when Steve Fraher was sin-binned the hosts took full advantage to score a converted try to open up a 10 point lead.

The Blues were kicking too much possession away to maintain pressure on the Syston defence, but then as half-time approached a well worked scrum move led to skipper, Chris Chapman going over for an unconverted try to leave the score 10-5 at the halfway point.

The second half was equally tight, but the home side made the most of their penalty opportunities to stretch the lead to 16-5, before the crucial point in the game, when the home full-back deliberately knocked on to prevent a Blues try, followed that up with a clothes line hit on Josh Block and then in the ensuing scuffle, clearly head-butted Kettering 2nd row Conor Horgan.

The referee, having blown for the first offence, seemingly missed the other 2, and subsequently yellow carded Horgan and a Syston prop with the main offender walking away scot free, and more significantly, denying the Blues an almost certain 7 point score.

In the next 10 minutes Syston scored their second, unconverted try to secure the win. To their credit, Kettering kept on trying and after a sustained period of pressure, Daniel managed to cross for a try, which he converted himself to see the Blues at least finish strong, but pointless.

As expected, this was a very closely fought match, with the outcome determined by Syston's pragmatic approach to the game, and their ability to take full advantage of the opportunities which came their way, whilst the Blues declined most of theirs, and one real telling moment in the second half, which ultimately had a major effect on the end result.

Blues must now re-group for the testing away trip to Market Rasen as the 2nd half of the season begins.

RAJ Man of the Match: