Disappointment at another Late Loss

On a paper this looked as if it could be a close game, despite a seven point gap in the table, and so it proved.

There were a number of changes to the team which had won at Pocklington, with Glenn Chesher, James Gough and Chris Park swapping places with Dane Blenkharn, Jordan Johnson and Nathan Wooff who moved to the bench. Jack Lashley unavailable last week returned in place of Tom Moulton, but Greg Wrathall was unavailable and his place was taken by Joe Robinson, starting a third spell at the club.

Kendal started well and early on Steven Nelson ripped a ball from a Moortown attacker, but the ball was poorly kicked away.

Kendal took the lead after eight minutes. Good forwarded play down the clubhouse touchline, saw a powerful run from Jack Lashley, there was some good handling, before Ben Dixon weaved his way through a few attempted tackles to score. Glen Weightman added the conversion. 7v0

Kendal continued to have the better of play, and Moortown seemed happy to kick the ball long and look for mistakes.

Despite their dominance Kendal could not add to their score, and were punished after twenty five minutes, when on one of their rare attacks, Moortown found a massive gap on the right for an easy run in. 7v5.

It looked as if Moortown could quickly take the lead. Glen Weightman split his forwards for the restart and Joe Robinson gathered the ball, only for it to be knocked on. The Moortown scrum half took advantage of the confusion to put a long kick down the middle of the field, and chased the kick, but Kris Bratton did well to get back and tidy up.

Kendal extended their lead after half an hour. James Gough was stopped on the line, and then Steven Nelson tried to get across but was stopped, but he got the ball away to Chris Evans, who scored for the third game in a row. Glen Weightman added the conversion. 14v5

Again the Kendal defence was caught napping and almost immediately the gap was closed again with the ball moved wide for a converted try. 14v12

Against the run of play Moortown took a slender lead into half time. when their outside half Eddie Crossland added a penalty when Kendal were caught offside. 14v15.

Despite a number of injuries, the referee played no extra time.

Moortown had the better start to the second half and soon extended their lead. With the Moortown pack getting the better of the scrums, under pressure James Gough put in a poor clearance kick which was run back. Moortown centre Keenen Tomlinson, who often looked dangerous made good ground, benefitting from some weak tackling, leading to a third Moortown try. 14v20.

Kendal made a change bringing Nathan Wooff off the bench to replace Chris Park.

Shortly afterwards Danny Barker was forced off, but rather than replace him with a back, Dane Blenkharn came on with Ben Dixon moving onto the wing.

The lead was narrowed after quarter of an hour. A good run down the left by Rory Blakeney Edwards put Kendal on the attack in the Moortown twenty two, and good work from the forwards led to Joe Robinson touching down. 19v20.

There was better to come for Kendal. Glen Weightman put what seem a poor kick ahead, but it worked well, as the ball bounced badly for the Moortown player, and in the confusion the ball was hacked away but only to Rory Blakeney Edwards, who hacked the ball ahead, then passed to Mark Carruthers in support who went over of a try, which Glen Weightman excellently converted from near the touchline. 26v20.

Danny Barker returned, but Dane Blenkharn was soon back replacing Dan Greenwood.

Kendal then had to sustain a long period of pressure on their line, several times it appeared they had stolen ball to clear their lines only for the referee to decide it was illegally gained and repeatedly penalise the home team.

Finally with under ten minutes to play the defence was broken again and outside half Eddie Crossland crossed and then crucially added the conversion for the lead. 26v27.

Jordan Johnson came on in place of James Gough.

Joe Robinson again won the kick off and there was a good run from Steven Nelson, which resulted in a penalty. However there was a let off for Moortown, as after been good kicking form, for a second weekend Glen Weightman missed with a far easier kick.

Things got worse as the re-start kick was knocked on to give Moortown back the ball.

The game ended with Moortown on the attack in the Kendal twenty two. When awarded a penalty, when questioned by the Moortown coach, the referee said whilst it was the last play of the game, if the ball stayed in play Kendal could attack. The nagging from his coach seemed to put the kicker off but he succeeded in his key task to put the ball dead, to give his team victory.

An even game that could have gone either way. Kendal probably edged the first half, but once their pack had got on top, Moortown probably had the better of the second. For Kendal the defensive lapses were far more important than the missed penalty.

Other results continued to show the closeness of the League with Scarborough top, despite away from home having now seen three of the bottom five pick up losing bonus points against them.

Your Kendal Man of the Match : Steven Nelson
Unlike the World Cup predictions there is always a winner in the MoM vote, and it didn't need a re-count or casting vote this week, with a typically hardworking display from Steven, putting him a few votes clear of Rory Blakeney Edwards, with ten others who got a vote trailing them.