Kendal started well, and despite losing James Thompson to an injury within the first five minutes, the forwards drove to the line from the following lineout, with substitute Garry Holmes prominent, for Reece Tomlinson to get the touchdown. 5v0.

The good work was immediately undone, when loose kick was run back by the Wirral left wing to score their opening try, and take the lead with the easy conversion 5v7.

Kendal continued to have the better of the game, but the lead was extended after twenty minutes, when Wirral, turned defence into attack. After good work from the Kendal forwards, when the ball came out to the backs, a loose pass created confusion and the ball was lost to Wirral for the left wing to score.5v14.

Kendal continued to dominate, but the forwards could not find a way through the Wirral defence which was being forced into desperate and sometimes illegal measures leading to two players seeing yellow cards. Despite the numerical advantage Kendal could not extend their score and the score stayed the same until half time. 5v14.

Kendal started the better in the second half, and the Wirral supporters were becoming increasingly frustrated as they feared their promotion hopes were slipping away, as their team seemed to be playing a tight game which suited Kendal.

It took until the quarter hour for the deadlock to be broken, when James Gough took the ball from a Kendal forward rumble, to scamper over, and with the conversion from Chris Park, the lead was down to two points. 12v14

Wirral dominated much of the next twenty minutes but could not find a way through the stubborn Kendal defence, not helped by continuing to play a tight forward orientated game rather than use the pace behind the scrum, possibly fearing the consequences of a loose pass giving an opening for Kendal score.

Finally after twenty five minutes, the dam was breached and Wirral went over for a third try, followed five minutes later by a crucial fourth, to give the bonus point and extend the lead with the conversion to 12v26

Three minutes later Wirral’s concern over an unlikely Kendal comeback was clear with the decision to steady nerves and put over a penalty 12v29.

The decision was fully justified as Kendal finished the stringer but again the Wirral defence was more than a match, and they held out for the win that guaranteed their status as Champions and promotion.

The hardest job of the afternoon may be the choice of Kendal Man of the Match, with so many players raising their game to hold keep the champions nervous until the end.

PICTURE : Reece Tomlinson scorer of the first Kendal try