After the win against Blaydon at Mint Bridge last weekend had eased relegation concerns. With the tough last three games to come, Kendal headed to bottom placed Cleckheaton, looking for more points for safety. Their hosts had only had two wins all season, the last of which was in late November, but Kendal teams have often slipped up in similar circumstances in the past.

Two changes from last weekend’s squad, with Daf Philp coming onto the wing for Dini Noyo, whilst Evan Beattie came in for the injured John Dervey. Aaron Stephens continued at scrum half, and Dane Blenkharn partnered Oscar Coxon in the second row.

Alfie Bradshaw made his 20th appearance of the season to qualify for his club Badge, a week after Evan Moir had passed the same mark.

An overcast but dry afternoon, with kick-off moving to 3.00pm now it is March

It was clear from kick-off that Kendal were going to try to run from anywhere, and the Cleckheaton defence was immediately stretched, but held firm.

The opening score however came from a kick. Aaron Stephens gathered a Cleckheaton kick deep in his own half, and put a long kick through. Daf Philp chased it, and caught the Cleckheaton player who gathered the ball, driving him to touch, for a Kendal throw.

There was an odd moment as the referee stopped play and spoke to the Cleckheaton captain about something his scrum half had done, with the warning “if he does it again he is off” (no idea what “it” was)

When play resumed Kendal won the lineout, and the ball was quickly recycled to Robbie Kincart who broke through. Whilst he was stopped, he got the ball away to Matt Houghton in close support, who went over for the try. Evan Moir seemed to catch the ball wrong for conversion, with the kick from wide out staying very low – but still hit the cross bar only to bounced back. 0v5

The Kendal “attack from everywhere policy”, quickly led to an opening score for Cleckheaton. The kick-off was run back but the player with the ball was isolated, and gave away a penalty. The kick was put to touch and following the lineout, the Cleckheaton No.8 Rich Noble found a gap in the Kendal defence and was through for a try, going round behind the posts to give outside half Dale Breakwell an easy conversion to take the lead 7v5.

Kendal continued to press, and Cleckheaton did well with ball in hand, but both defences held firm.

Finally Kendal re-took the lead after twenty minutes, when the Cleckheaton defence was up too quickly to give away a penalty in front of the posts. Evan Moir put the kick over to pass 200 points for the season. 7v8

Again the lead was short lived, with Cleckheaton getting a second try, this time from short range. The conversion attempt hit the post. 12v8.

This time the lead was quickly lost again. The re-start ball was stolen back and Oscar Coxon broke away. He was tackled but broke away to romp over for a try. Evan Moir added the conversion from the touchline, to give Kendal a lead that there were not to lose. 12v15

Andy Rogers had been injured in the build up to the try and was forced off, to receive treatment behind the posts, with Glenn Chesher coming on to replace him. Rogers later came around the pitch on crutches.

Evan Moir added a second penalty after thirty five minutes 12v18.

Following the earlier warning, after half an hour, the referee who regularly penalised both teams for high tackles, yellow carded Cleckheaton scrum half Tom Egan for a bad one.

The next try was the best of the afternoon. Patrick Wolstenholme started it with a good run, the ball went to Daf Philp, inside to Ben Dixon, onto Robbie Kincart, who found Aaron Stephens who finished the move. Evan Moir added the conversion. 12v25.

The final try of the half, six minutes into added time, went to Daf Philp, rewarding him for a lot of earlier good work on his season’s League debut. He finished off a Ben Dixon break down the left wing. Evan Moir added the conversion for a half time score of 12v32, which did not flatter the Kendal performance.

At half time, Kendal made a second change with Johnny Swallow coming on for Dane Blenkharn.

There was no score for the opening quarter of an hour of the second half and when he came it was another for Robbie Kincart, but this time not from close range, with him spotting a gap on the twenty- two, after good build-up work by Kendal, and once away there was no stopping him. Evan Moir added the conversion 12v39

Kendal made another change with Evan Beattie coming on for Matt Houghton

Kendal were temporarily down to fourteen after twenty minutes, when Alfie Bradshaw was yellow carded for taking a Cleckheaton player out in the air, when challenging for a high ball.

The next try went to Ben Dixon, following pressure on the Cleckheaton line. A clearance kick was charged down and Dixon pounced on the loose ball for the try. Again converted by Evan Moir. 12v46.

Following more good build-up work in the Cleckheaton twenty-two, Aaron Stephens, playing at scrum half, spotted a gap and tried to force his way through. Whilst he was stopped, this made an opening for Dan Shorrock to get the next try, to pass the Kendal half century. 12v51

Dane Blenkharn returned for Joe Anderson, who due to Andy Rogers injury had had to stay on longer than normal.

The final try went to Oscar Coxon, who timed his run well onto Aaron Stephens equally well timed pass, to score. Evan Moir added the conversion. 12v58

Cleckheaton finished the game on the attack but could find no way through for a third try.

Cleckheaton may be doomed to the drop, but had some powerful players in attack and defended well to keep the score down, but came up against a a rampant Kendal team, who succeeded in the aim of making League survival almost secure

A weekend off before a different challenge from third placed Harrogate, who despite a big win against York, could not narrow the gap on Alnwick in second, following their win taking Heath’s 100% record.

A narrow win for Penrith saw them climb out of the automatic relegation place and bonus points for Middlesbrough means there is a tight contest between the two and York, to avoid the drop, with York having no easy games, whilst the other two are yet to meet Cleckheaton.

==

A bit of confusion on the final score. I had 12v58 – but the RFU site says 12v56 (it also says it was 12v31 at halftime – when I made it 12v32)

The scoring on the RFU site matches mine (so 58) and the Facebook site agrees – but the website has 12v56

Regardless it was a win and maximum point for the team.

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SECOND XV :
Kendal (2nd) 15 v 7 Preston Grasshoppers (3rd)

WASPS :
Are away at Sheffield – 2.00pm kick off

The team who the Wasps got their win against a few weeks ago, but the problem with away games is how many will be available to make the trip ?

SENIOR COLTS :
Home to Liverpool St Helens (2.00pm)

LSH sit one place above our team with three wins from their six games to Kendal’s two