MALVERN centre Ben King kicked defending champions Worcestershire and Herefordshire into the Iskitz Three Counties Championship final.

The two counties secured a hard-fought 15-9 victory over Greater Birmingham at Birmingham Exiles.

King landed five penalties with his last two kicks in the final three minutes of a try-less contest.

Greater Birmingham’s lively backs caused problems before Worcestershire and Herefordshire used their pack to make second-half inroads.

King struck his first penalty after three minutes but Ben Morgan levelled after 15 minutes and gave the hosts the lead with another just before half-time.

King scuffed a couple of kickable penalties either side of the break but regained his composure four minutes into the second half.

He nudged the two counties back ahead but Morgan pulled them level again with his third penalty midway through the second period.

But King rewarded the visitors' pressure with the winning penalties.

The final is at Ledbury on May 20 against the winners of Shropshire and Greater Birmingham who play on March 14 at Telford Hornets.

Worcestershire & Herefordshire: Holloway (Old Halesonians); White (Pershore), King (Malvern), Attwood (Bredon Star), Watson (Evesham); Bennion (Ledbury), Pinner (Kidderminster Carolians); Allman (Bromyard), Roberts (Evesham), Young (Old Hales), Ranns (Pershore), O’Brien (Droitwich), Middleton (Droitwich), Smith (KCs). Replacements: Roberts (Droitwich), Mason (Droitwich), Morgan (KCs), Humpston (Evesham), Williams (Bromsgrove), Gladwin (Redditch).