Disapointment and Jubilation

Kendal travelled to Kirkby Stephen, for possibly their first competitive game there, against Upper Eden in the Cumbria Cup. Upper Eden play three levels lower than Kendal, but had an amazing unbeaten record going back until March 2019, having won all their matches last season and so far this season.

Despite having the important local Derby game against Kirkby Lonsdale next weekend, Kendal took the game seriously naming almost the same team who played at Wirral last weekend, possibly strengthening the team with Robbie Collinson, Alex Ryder and Nick Carlton coming in. Mattie Kaye also came in at scrum half, for his first game since re-joining the club.

Kendal had to make to late changes with Dan Reid and Dini Noyo dropping out, so Tadhg Butler and Dan Shorrock came off the bench, and the team played with three rather than the permitted five replacements.

It was a bright sunny afternoon, but a cold wind was blowing up the pitch. There was a large crowd.

Kendal had the use of the wind in the first half, and for most of the opening twenty minutes the teams were evenly matched, but Kendal were not helped by conceding a string of penalties in attack and defence. When they had the ball Upper Eden looked the more dangerous, but could not find a way through a strong Kendal defence.

The deadlock was finally broken after twenty minutes when the Kendal pack forced their way over from a lineout for a try withj Steven Nelson claiming the touchdown. Glen Weightman added the conversion 0v7. The referee yellow carded an Upper Eden forward.

Three minutes later Kendal had a second try. Glen Weightman put a very long kick out of defence, which using the wind reached the Upper Eden line, but the ball held up in the damp long grass and a good chase forced Upper Eden to touchdown for a tryline drop out.

The kick was gathered and Robbie Collinson ran it back and when he was stopped it as moved quickly and with Steven Nelson in support, Reece Tomlinson went over for the try. Again Glen Weightman added the conversion 0v14.

There was a blow for Kendal after twenty five minutes when Danny Barker, who had already received treatment after some hard tackles, was forced off. Chris Park took his place.

The opening Upper Eden try with five minutes of the half to play came from a Kendal mistake.

Glen Weightman put a kick through for the backs to chase, but the referee spotted several were in front of Weightman when he put the kick in, and awarded Upper Eden a penalty. Upper Eden then put pressure on the Kendal line, and good recycling finally put a player over for an unconverted try. 5v14.

There was further concern for Kendal as Chris Park was injured in the build up to the try, and had to leave the field of a stretcher. With no further back replacement Dan Greenwood came on, and Alistair Thompson moved to his old position in the centre.

Kendal got the final score of the half. Alex Ryder did well to get in to try to steal Upper Eden ball, and for once the referee saw the offence in Kendal’s favour. Glen Weightman put over a penalty. 5v17.

Despite the long injuries and treatment to Danny Barker and Chris Park, plus other stoppages, the referee only added one extra minute, and the lead looked slender with Upper Eden having the benefit of the wind in the second half.

Upper Eden reduced the gap after nine minutes with a converted try, after good ball retention and recycling to stretch the Kendal defence 12v17.

Five minutes later Upper Eden added a penalty. 15v17.

After twenty minutes there was further concern for Kendal as play was stopped for an injury to Glen Weightman. The touch judge came in, but clearly there was nothing illegal in the build up to the injury.

After a long period of treatment Weightman was forced off and the final replacement Barney Coxon came on. He went into the second row, with Alex Ryder moving into the back row and Steven Nelson finding himself in the centre, with Alistair Thompson (or occasionally at outside half), and play restarted with a Kendal scrum.

Kendal upped their game, and for the first time the forwards were stretching Upper Eden, but the defence held firm.

Steven Nelson almost forced his way over on the right, but the referee decided he had not got the ball to ground, and award a tryline drop out.

Kendal extended the lead after twenty-five minutes. Alex Ryder won lineout ball and Tadhg Butler made ground. For long periods of the half Nick Carlton, had been calling for the ball, with his opposite number defending well off his wing. Finally the message got through and the ball was moved wide to him for the try. 15v22.

Both teams had chances, but both defences were having good afternoon. Finally with five minutes of normal time to play, Upper Eden found an opening down the left wing, for a try. The kicker made no mistake with the difficult conversion from near the touchline to tie the scores. 22v22

The win was sealed minutes later. The attempt to keep the restart kick short for the forwards to chase backfired as it failed to make the distance, to give Upper Eden a scrum on halfway. From the scrum the ball was kicked to the right corner and an Upper Eden player won the chase for the touchdown. Having put a conversion over from the left touchline, this one was added from the right. 29v22.

Kendal came back looking for another score, but the Upper Eden defence was as solid as it had been all afternoon and held out for victory.

Kendal were not helped by the injuries, and the heavy string of penalties against them (despite no yellow card), but the reality was the better team on the day won.

There have been some suggestions, with the team sitting above Kirkby Lonsdale in the table, they have become the best team in Cumbria. On this performance Upper Eden may have something to stay about that, and if they can repeat the performance should fear no one for the Final.

A positive for Kendal was young prop Tadhg Butler, who as the game went on was making a lot of ground, whilst Alistair Thompson had another good game in defence and attack.

The biggest concern, with the key game against Kirkby Lonsdale a week away, is the fitness of the players who went off.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Alistair Thompson

The biggest vote of the season so far and Alistair took almost a third of votes, reflecting his hardwork in defence and attack, including when he became a stand in centre due to the string of injuries

Nick Carton was next a handful of votes behind and Steven Nelson and Mattie Kaye a few votes behind Nick - eight more players picked up at least one vote.