Much Improved Performance

The two teams had started the season in different form. Stockport extended their long unbeaten run going back to lockdown in 2019 with a big win against Burnage, whilst Kendal had been well beaten by a very well organised Sandbach team. The Kendal eighteen was however unchanged from that game.

There was a good start for Kendal, who took the lead after just three minutes. Dan Lowther crashed through the centre, and when the ball was recycled fullback Ignacio Cisint, joined the line, and having committed the defence gave the scoring pass to Dini Noyo who sailed in for the try, and also took it nearer to the posts, to make Glen Weightman’s job easier. 7v0

It could have got even better when Glen Weightman put a kick thought for Dini Noyo to chase. He managed to gather it, but then lost his footing, which allowed the Stockport defence to get back.

Stockport then took control and put the Kendal defence under a long spell of pressure, but could not work a way through the Kendal defence.

When the score came after a quarter of an hour, it was from long range rather than near the line. From a maul just inside the Kendal half, the Stockport scrum half spotted a gap in the Kendal defence, and once through there was no stopping him for a try, to tie the scores with an easy conversion. 7v7.

Five minute later Stockport had the lead. From a lineout Stockport set up a long drive, and with the referee signalling a penalty, the ball as moved wide, only for Mark Carruthers to intercept, which brought play back for the penalty which was put over. 7v10.

Stockport were temporarily down to fourteen men after twenty five minutes. Kendal fullback Ignacio Cisint gathered a kick through only to the stopped illegally (tripped / high tackle ?) and a prop saw a yellow card.

Kendal had a chance to take the lead back when Steven Nelson burst through the middle, and Dan Lowther took the ball on, but an excellent try saving tackle on the line not only stopped him, but drove him backwards to prevent him grounding the ball.

Instead it was Stockport who extended their lead at the end of normal time. A Kendal clearance kick went to touch, but the Stockport wing took a quick throw (far too far away to tell, but it looked a very short throw, and from the reaction of the crowd on that side of the ground, maybe it did not make the required distance?). The ball was moved into midfield and a kick was put down the right wing. It looked as if it had been wasted, but a Stockport player got there first, for the try.

7v15 at half time.

Kendal re-jigged their team at half time with Dan Reid coming on for Joe, Anderson, Liam Hayton for Reece Tomlinson who had earlier received treatment, and Lewis Kincart coming onto the wing for Dini Noyo, who had been injured at the end of the first half.

Kendal had had problems in the lineout in the first half and these continued, and the Stockport pack was also getting an upper hand in the scrums, and after a few early penalties, Glenn Chesher was singled out for a yellow card (although as he came off he clearly felt it was opposite number scrumaging illegally). The Kendal bench wanted to bring Joe Lashley off, to allow Joe Anderson on, but Steven Nelson, decided he needed more time to recharge the batteries, and came off instead.

There were still problems in the scrum, and there was another warning from the referee, but finally instead of trying to power over, Stockport moving the ball quickly for a try. The wide conversion kick seemed poor, but instead crept over for a 7v22 lead.

Last weekend when beaten, the Kendal team seemed to give in, this time with the home crowd behind them, there was plenty more to come.

With Chesher and Nelson back on the field, with no more points conceded, another change was made with Jordan Johnson and Lewis Kincart swapping placed, and it soon had an impact.

Kincart made a break, then put a kick ahead down the right wing. The ball looked as if it would roll harmlessly to touch, but for once the bounce favoured Kendal and the ball stayed in field. With the batteries re-charged, it was Steven Nelson who powered through to get their first for the touchline 12v22.

Stockport were also not finished and had another long spell of pressure near the Kendal line, but again the Kendal defence proved stubborn, but finally a gap opened up on the left for an unconverted try. 12v27.

Reece Tomlinson returned for Joe Lashley, with Alex Ryder moving to the back-row.

Kendal kept battling and a penalty was put deep into the Stockport twenty two. Again the throw failed to find its intended target, but again luck was on Kendal’s side, as the overthrow dropped for Steven Nelson, and with the Stockport defence wrong footed, he made no mistake powering over from short distance, and Glen Weightman added the conversion 19v27 with five minutes to play.

Suddenly another try would get Kendal a double bonus point.

Runs by Dan Lowther and Jordan Johnson turned defence into attack, then the pack set up a strong drive towards the line. Already signalling a penalty, when the referee blew it looked as if Kendal would need to win another lineout, but either he had seen something more, or changed his mind, as he headed under the posts for a Penalty try, to bring Kendal within a point of victory going into injury time, and a Stockport player was yellow carded,

Kendal needed to take the kick off and attack, but instead Stockport won the ball back, and their forwards kept the ball tight. Both teams could not afford a mistake, with Kendal looking to hold onto their losing bonus point, and Stockport the lead.

The ball then went to Kendal and a kick was put into the Stockport twenty-two. A Stockport player got to it first, but seemed unsure what to do, and was caught by Dan Shorrock. The fired up Kendal team powered in, and it initially looked would steal the ball, but more Stockport players got back to secure the ball, which was put to touch to end the game.

So after been denied a try scoring bonus point, the performance deserved when the teams met earlier in the season, this time the Kendal picked up two

Only time will tell whether this was points dropped or two points gained – but I suspect for most of us it was the latter, but despite Stockport dominating the ball for much of the game, it was Kendal who often looked the more dangerous with the few chances they had.

A much improved performance, but still plenty to improve upon. The lineout remains a major concern with poor communication; the great support play of last season is missing, with players hanging back instead of being on hand for the pass; too many tackles were weak or missed; whilst poor discipline saw penalties given and moved on, for speaking out to the referee.

Another enormous task next week, against Blackburn who have impressively opened the season with two big wins away from home.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Steven Nelson

No surprise, two tries, almost set up another, and a few Stockport players were looking a bit too pleased when they evade some weak tackling, only to find themselves hit by a missile,as Steven appeared out of nowhere to split them in two. Not really built for speed, but as he showed several times last season, and again for the first try on Saturday, is “deceptively” fast.

Took almost half the votes and almost three times the votes of last week’s MoM Ignacio Cisint in second, with the rest of the votes spread evenly over nine others,

PREVIOUS GAME

Looking back at the programme for the game earlier in the year, eleven of Stockport’s starting line up played, whilst another was on the bench this weekend, so it was fairly close to their squad from last season. Nine of our starting line up, plus two replacements were involved in the previous game

OTHER RESULTS

Big wins for Blackburn and Sandbach, and good wins for Lymm and Manchester, but the shock result is a first win since 2019 for Northwich with a massive score against Macclesfield

TABLE

PHOTO : Didn't see Paul (or anyone else with a super telephoto lens) today.

So for the moment it has to be one of mine - A great rarity - an action shot ! (rather than a lineout)