After a wet morning, the sun came out and conditions were ideal for the first pre-season game. There was an excellent turnout on the touchlines, especially considering that a week ago the game was away at Wilmslow, then changed to at home to Wilmslow, with a possible curtain raiser from the Wasps, and also a Development game, but ended up at the old Mint Bridge ground against Stockport, who despite their relegation last season, gave Kendal two good games, and were again to prove tough opposition.
Prior to the game rumours swirled, that any of last year’s squad not on show, had signed for Kirkby Lonsdale, with signing on fees that make Naymar Jnr’s look like loose change, whilst the unexpected switch to Mint Bridge was a sign that the deal to move up the road had stalled, and we will again play at the old ground this season, with the building up the road becoming a Michelin star restaurant and health spa (only joking (I hope) – before the Board get too hot under the collar).
After in recent seasons a move away from four quartered pre-season matches with multiple substitutions, this was a return to that old format.
The opening exchanges were all Stockport, and gave the Kendal team plenty of opportunities for tackling practice, but they weathered the early storm.
Halfway through the first quarter, against the run of play, Kendal opened the scoring, with a converted try. 7v0
Stockport continued to have the better of the play, helped by a penalty count heavily against Kendal, although this was probably predictable when you are defending for so long.
The second quarter saw the appearance of Mattie Kaye (who had been away at Fylde) at scrum half who looked very sharp, with last season’s Development squad regulars Nathan Wooff and Benji Platt, whilst Duncan Green and Dan Greenwood also joined the forwards.
The lead was extended with a second try when the forwards drove to the line from a lineout, although it looked as if it was Mattie Kaye who emerged with the ball, 12v0. Stockport got their first try to narrow the gap again 12v7, by the end of the second quarter.
There were further changes at the start of the third quarter. The lead was extended at the start of play in strange fashion. Stockport had the ball on their own twenty-two, but there was some strong Kendal tackling, and the ball carrier was driven back over his line, which looked to have forced a scrum, but instead the referee awarded a try, so the ball must have been stolen and touched down by the tacklers. 19v7. Both teams added an unconverted try by the end of the third quarter 24v12.
In the final quarter Kendal stepped up a few gears as Stockport tired with much better Kendal handling. Glenn Weightman, and Nathan Wooff and Chris Park, all showed the new boys that there will be a fight for places in the backline.
There were three further tries, the final one by Development Squad member Benji Platt set up by good work from 18 year old Ben Dixon making his First team debut, who evade several tacklers in a long run upfield. 41v12
A really good run out, with a lot of promising performances, but there will need to be further improvements before the opening League game away at Ilkley in three weeks.
Next week (at the moment) a first meeting away at Sandbach
Kendal | |
Starting Fifteen (I think ?) | |
15 | Glenn Weightman |
14 | Mark Carruthers |
13 | ? |
12 | Damian Armstrong |
11 | Brett Ashley |
10 | ? |
9 | Dini Noyo |
1 | Glenn Chesher |
2 | Garry Holmes |
3 | Dom Musetti |
4 | Rob Wightman |
5 | Ben Leacock |
6 | Matty Houghton |
7 | Will Montgomery |
8 | Matt Charters |
Also Involved | |
Chris Park | |
Benji Platt | |
Matty Kaye | |
Nathan Wooff | |
Duncan Green | |
Dan Greenwood | |
Sio | |
Jack Walker ? | |
Ben Dixon |