Kendal were without Dini Noyo, Matt Charters and Chris Downham who had started last week, plus Myles Harrop who came off the bench onto the wing. This meant Chris Park started on the wing, Alistair Thompson came into the back row, and Garry Holmes moved to No.8 with Jack Lashley starting at hooker.

Sandbach are at the same level as Kendal, playing the Midland Division. They had the better start regaining their own kick off, but Jack Lashley managed to steal ball at the ruck to put Kendal on the attack. Sandbach conceded a string of penalties which kept Kendal on the attack in the twenty two.

The opening score came after six minutes. Sandbach were penalised in midfield and Kendal opted for a scrum. Garry Holmes broke with the ball, and after good work by Zane Butler, Alistair Thompson finishing the move. 5v0

Jack Lashley was forced off after quarter of an hour, with Development side back row Shaun Tipping coming on, and playing the rest of the game, and he did not look out of place in the team. This saw Garry Holmes move to hooker.

There was a chance for Kendal when Sandbach lost the ball in attack in the Kendal twenty two. Nick Carlton gathered and put a long kick upfield which was well chased by Zane Butler which forced an error by the Sandbach defence, but the move came to nothing.

Sandbach were on level terms after twenty five minute, after Kendal conceded a string of penalties in defence, a try came from a scrum. 5v5.

Kendal retook the lead six minutes later. Again when awarded a penalty after Sandbach were caught coming up too fast in defence, Kendal opted for the scrum. When the ball came back Kris Bratton made a good break into the Sandbach twenty two and when he was stopped, he did well to get the pass away to Zane Butler who powered through for the score, which Chris Park converted. 12v5.

Towards the end of the half, Kendal extended their lead. When the ball came back from a lineout Glen Weightman found a gap in the defence, and managed to evade further attempted tackles to score under the posts, with Chris Park adding the conversion. 19v5.

The gap was soon narrowed as a few missed tackles and good running and support play down the left saw Sandbach added a second unconverted try. 19v10.

In injury time Sandbach scored again, with too much pace on the right, opening space for a converted try. 19v17, which was the half time score.

After four minutes of the second half Jack Lashley returned in place of Mark Irving.

Sandbach took the lead for the first time from a lineout drive. 19v22.

With a number of changes to personnel, Sandbach seemed to up the pace, with good handling and support play stretching the Kendal defence, whilst continuing to quickly close down any Kendal attack, and compete well on the ground to disrupt and steal Kendal ball.

The Sandbach lead was extended after ten minutes. A good Kendal moved broke down when a pass went astray, and the Sandbach hooker broke away. Whilst he was finally stopped, the move continued with wave after wave of attacks, which the Kendal defence did well to stop, but final a gap was found for an unconverted try 19v29.

Shortly afterwards there was an unseemly mass scuffle on the touchline, and players from both teams seemed fortunate that the referee’s only action was a long talk to both captains, as in a competitive game there would surely have been more serious action.

John Dervey was forced off with Rob Wightman taking his place.

After quarter of an hour of play Kendal narrowed the gap when a interchange of passes between Kris Bratton and Chris Park, after good Kendal build up play, saw Kris Bratton go over for an unconverted try. 24v29.

Flanker Steven Nelson went off with John Dervey returning in his place.

Another good break by the Sandbach hooker set up a further converted try. 24v36

Steven Nelson returned with Jack Lashley going off.

After twenty minutes there was a worrying sight, as the referee stopped play for an injury to Kris Bratton, who left the field on a stretcher. His place was taken by Jordan Johnson, who went onto the left wing with Chris Park moving back full back.

Shortly afterwards Sandbach were reduced to fourteen men after a yellow card.

As the game entered injury time, the lead was narrowed, with Glen Weightman getting the better of the Sandbach defence, which spent the afternoon coming up very fast to cut off his passes, but this time he found a gap and went through for a try converted by Chris Park 33v36.

Despite a second yellow card to a Sandbach player, this time for dissent, they held out for win.

In spite of the scoreline this was not a bad performance against what appeared to be a very good team. There was plenty to learn from Sandbach’s good support play and more vigorous attempts to steal ball at the breakdown.

Star performances in the forwards came from Steven Nelson and Alistair Thompson in the back row, who both worked hard in attack in defence. In the back division Danny Barker and Nick Carlton had a good first half, but were kept quiet by the Sandbach defence in the second half, Zane Butler played well, and Glen Weightman worked hard in difficult circumstances with the Sandbach defence up quickly, and took his two tries well.

Next weekend sees a return to Keswick, where they won the final at the end of last season, for the first round of the Cumbria Cup, before League action starts the following weekend.

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More news from the touchlines suggests Mike Fearon and James Thompson have left for Kirkby Lonsdale.