Kendal 34 (14) v (15) 32 Rochdale

The game seemed loss with a string of penalties conceded to turn attack into defence, then a fightback, a difficult missed conversion, a lost lineout, then a difficult penalty, awarded at a scrum, which was converted with the last kick of the game for victory.

Rochdale had come to Kendal in force, with a number of junior teams joining their Seconds, with the unusual sight of bouncy castles on pitchside.

Visitors Rochdale arrived in Second place to Kendal’s fourth, and had the chance to top the League if they won and leaders Manchester were defeated at Preston Grasshoppers. Whilst Kendal could not move up, they could be overtaken by Stockport, if they lost and Stockport won at Birkenhead Park.

Kendal started well, but Rochdale’s forwards soon took control, and got the first score after six minutes. A penalty set up an attacking lineout. It looked as if the ball had been knocked on in the lineout, but the referee was happy it went backwards, and the try was scored from close range. 0v5

After weathering more Rochdale pressure, Kendal came back into the game and had the lead after a quarter of an hour.

From a penalty lineout, the Kendal forwards looked for a way through, and it was Jack Blocksidge who got the touchdown. Mckenzie Cousins added the conversion 7v5.

Things quickly got even better for Kendal. The kick-off was taken and when it came to Ben Dixon in his own half, a mixture of changes of pace, outwitted the Rochdale defence for a try under the posts with Mckenzie Cousins having no difficulty adding the extra points. 14v5

The burst of quick scoring was to continue with Rochdale pulling a score back with an unconverted try from short range. 14v10.

There was no further score for a quarter of an hour, and when it came late in the half it was another for Rochdale, from short range after a penalty lineout. 14v15

This remained the score at halftime.

Kendal started the second half well by taking the lead with the best try of the game. After build-up on the right deep in their own half, the ball was moved left. Mckenzie Cousins broke through he got the ball to Ben Dixon who made ground before being caught, but managed to get a pass away to Joe Fiddler in support for the score, 19v15.

Kendal were on the attack again ten minutes into the half, when a Rochdale centre illegally came through a ruck to stop a Kendal attack. He then compounded his crime by speaking out and with both teams having been penalised earlier for doing the same, his reward was a ten minute break on the touchline, following a yellow card.

Instead of using this as a platform to build from, Kendal instead imploded, conceding a string of penalties to go from attack to defence. It became fourteen a side with Tom Keast yellow carded for a high tackle.

Rochdale added a fourth try from short range 19v20 then three minutes later a fifth which this time was converted, as Kendal continued to shoot themselves in the foot, having been caught in front of the kicker at the restart. 19v27

When shortly later Kendal failed to deal with a kick through, which resulted in a try under the posts, extending the lead to 19v32, it did not look as if it would matter that the simple conversion was missed.

Kendal came back and just before the half hour narrowed the gap.

Rochdale lost the ball outside the twenty two, and Tom Keast gathered and burst through. There seem far too much to do, but somehow he managed to rampage all the way to the line for the try, which was converted by McKenzie Cousins. 26v32.

Kendal ran the kick off back, which resulted in a second yellow card for Rochdale, when the move was ended by the a high tackle, by a young replacement.

It looked as if Tom Keast was though for a second try to potentially put Kendal back in the lead. He took a pass on the twenty two and again was on the way to the line, when called back by the referee, it appeared for a forward pass. Then Kendal were penalised, possibly for speaking out, as from the touchline, it appeared clear the pass had not been forward. It could have been a penalty for obstruction, as the referee’s signals (and decisions against both teams) were getting increasingly erratic.

As Kendal continued to look for a try there was a third yellow card for Rochdale.

From the penalty instead of looking to score near the posts, the ball was moved wide where Ben Dixon crashed over to bring the scores to within point, but the conversion proved too difficult 31v32.

There was still four minutes of normal time to play and Kendal came back looking for a score, with the heavyweight Rochdale pack now looking out on their feet.

A penalty was put to touch, only for the throw to miss its target, and was adjudged not straight.

There was further drama to come however, as having been on top in the scrum, Rochdale this time conceded a penalty. There was some indecision but the bench and captain for the day Ben Dixon, were of the same opinion, and McKenzie Cousins was given the kick at goal. A narrower angle than the conversion, but still far from straight forward. The ball sailed through the posts and the referee blew for time and a 34v32 win for Kendal

A excellent comeback to snatch victory, but (as other Kendal teams have too often this season), they had been the architects of their own problems, by earlier giving away far too many soft penalties, which Rochdale used to establish positions from which to power over from short range for scores.

As well as the final result, the big positive was the number of young players who clearly indicated that they could be First XV players of the future. Finishing fourth in the League with a team with a very low average age (ignoring the occasional assistance at times from Coxon (middle) and Hayton (junior)) has to be a good sign for the future.

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