1st XV
Matches
Sat 20 Aug 2016
Kendal R.U.F.C.
1st XV
20
12
Aspatria
Summer rugby – It’ll never catch on ?

Summer rugby – It’ll never catch on ?

Mark Hodgkiss22 Aug 2016 - 10:40
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This game in the Cumbria Cup, was played in heavy rain with a strong wind blowing down the pitch, but both teams played well, with Kendal just squeezing through.

Kendal field a very strong team with the only new faces from last season being wing Joe Hambley and John Dervey in the back row, who played well.

Aspatria kicked off playing towards the clubhouse end, playing into the strong wind in the first half. The wind and rain meant there were a lot of early errors, with Aspatria probably having more of the ball, but Kendal making better use of it, when they had it in hand.

There was a blow for Kendal after ten minutes, when Chris Downham was forced off with an injury, to be replaced in the back row by James Thompson.

Kendal took the lead after a quarter of an hour with a Glenn Weightman penalty, after Aspatria appeared harshly punished for slowing the ball at the ruck, then deservedly saw the penalty advanced ten metres, when the ball was knocked out of James Gough’s hands, when he tried to take a quick penalty. 3v0

From the kick off, Aspatria had their best spell, with Kendal failing to get their hands of the ball, and being forced to concede a string of penalties. Finally the pressure told and from a short range penalty a player crashed over for an unconverted try 3v5. Kendal were also down to fourteen men for ten minutes, as Glenn Chesher was given a yellow card.

Kendal were only behind for three minutes. From a lineout taken well by John Dervey, James Gough made a break to the line, and when stopped passed to Chris Park in support. The ball was moved into the centre, and when it appeared the ball had gone loose, Jack Lashley re-gathered it, using the confusion in the Aspatria defence to power over from twenty metres for the opening Kendal try. Glen Weightman added the conversion. 10v5.

Ten minutes later Kendal added to their lead. The forwards put in an excellent drive from a lineout, making a lot of ground against a powerfully built Aspatria pack. Jack Lashley broke away but was isolated. The forwards got the ball back, and when James Gough looked as if he would go for the line himself, he instead put a pass behind his back, which was well gathered by Liam Hayton who went over for the try. Glenn Weightman put over the difficult conversion into the cross wind. 17v5.

With the last kick of the half, from a penalty midway towards the touchline on the halfway line, Glenn Weightman went for the posts. Whilst he did not add to his earlier scores, it was not far out.

Aspatria started the second half with the wind on their backs, and whilst it had reduced slightly at the end of the first half, the wind and rain was back to the same power that it had been at the start of the game.

At the start of the half, Robbie Collinson and Duncan Green came on for Glenn Chesher and Blake Robinson.

Aspatria had Kendal cooped in their twenty two for most of the early play of the half, with the strong wind meaning Glenn Weightman could not get any distance on his clearance kicks, on the rare occasions that Kendal stole the ball. The defence managed to hold firm.

After quarter of an hour, Kendal were reduced to fourteen men for a second time, after flanker John Dervey was yellow carded for an offence at a lineout. Aspatria added a second try almost immediately, when a player broke away from a ruck. The conversion was added despite the distraction of the cross bar vibrating in the wind. 17v12.

With twenty minutes still to go Aspatria looked favourites to progress with the strong wind in their favour, but after withstanding more pressure, Kendal broke away from defence, after finally getting the better of some of the referee’s decisions.

With three minutes of the game to play, Kendal were awarded a penalty and resisted the temptation to put the ball to touch. Instead Glenn Weightman was given the difficult task of a long range kick into the wind. He judged his kick perfectly with the wind sucking the ball over the post to open up a two score lead. 20v12.

Rather than run the clockdown, Kendal tried to spread the ball wide, but the older heads of Duncan Green and Liam Hayton, finally reverted to simple forward bursts to keep ball in hand, helped by the return of Glenn Chesher, to recorded a hard fought victory.

A good work out for Kendal, especially in defence, and a number of players started where they left off at the end of last season, with Matty Houghton and Glenn Weightman frequently involved in the action. The really bad news for opposition back row men is, after a more subdued time last season, James Gough seemed back to his livewire best, running penalties quickly at every opportunity, and doing what he does best, making a real nuisance of himself.

Next Game vs Penrith at Mint Bridge on Thursday (25th) kick off 6.45pm – hopefully the weather will be better !

ActionTeamNoNameTimeKendalAspatria
Sub-offKendal8Chris Downham1100
Sub OnKendal18James Thompson1100
PenKendal10Glenn Weightman1630
TryAspatria?2235
Y/CKendal1Glenn Chesher2335
TryKendal3Jack Lashley2585
ConKendal10Glenn Weightman26105
TryKendal4Liam Hayton37155
ConKendal10Glenn Weightman39175
= = = = = = = = =HALF TIME40+2175
Sub-offKendal1Glenn Chesher40175
Sub-offKendal7Blake Robinson40175
Sub OnKendal17Robbie Collinson40175
Sub OnKendal6Duncan Green40175
Y/CKendal19John Dervey58175
TryAspatria?591710
ConAspatria?601712
Sub-offKendal1Jack Lashley691712
Sub OnKendal3Glenn Chesher691712
PenKendal10Glenn Weightman772012
= = = = = = = = =FULL TIME80+22012

Kendal
15Nathan Wooff
14Chris Park
13Damian Armstrong
12Zane Butler
11Joe Hambley
10Glenn Weightman
9James Gough
1Glenn Chesher
2Matt Houghton
3Jack Lashley
4Liam Hayton (c)
5Ben Leacock
6John Dervey (19)
7Blake Robinson
8Chris Downham
subRobbie Collinson
subDuncan Green (6)
subJames Thompson
subMark Carruthers

PHOTO : To follow when I've dried out

Match details

Match date

Sat 20 Aug 2016

Kickoff

15:00

Location

Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club Sponsor - Kentdale  Jaguar Land Rover
Match Ball Sponsor - Rathbones Investment Management
Shirt & Shorts Sponsor - Kendalife
Club Sponsor - Lakeland
Club Sponsor - Saint & Co
Club Sponsor - MTP Media
Casual Shirt Sponsor - Bainbridge Electrical Ltd
Shirt & Position Sponsor - Steve Selby Building Contractors
Next Door Neighbours - Camping & Caravanning Club: Kendal
Shirt Sponsor - MGD Commercial and Motor Services
Club Sponsor - Crema Catering Supplies Ltd.