Mission Accomplished [18v39]

decisions which failed to punish Park errors.

An experiment Kendal line up took to the field with Dini Noyo at scrum half and Glenn Weightman and Nathan Wooff swapping positions. Upfront Jack Morphet made a first start of the season.

The Park pitch was in excellent condition, after reportedly having £10,000 spent on it, to bring it up to a suitable standard to be used by the Uruguayan team for training, to replicate conditions before their recent World Cup game against England at the Etihad stadium.

Broughton Park made the better start, immediately putting Kendal under pressure. It was however Kendal who took the lead after ten minutes. Kendal were deep in their own half, and when trying to attack from defence, a ball went loose and had to be tidied up by Glenn Weightman, playing at fullback. With few options available he launched a long kick down field, using the strong breeze which was in Kendal’s favour in the first half. The referee adjudged that he had been tackled late after making the kick, and awarded Kendal a penalty, deep in the Park half, which Chris Park converted. 0v3

The lead was almost immediately cancelled out. From the kick off, Dini Noyo’s return kick was charged down, with Park re-gathered the ball, and after their forwards had made ground, Kendal conceded a penalty. 3v3.

Park continued to press, and Kendal were having difficulty in securing any good ball to play with.

Kendal were in defence, when the Park outside half tried a crossfield kick. Mark Carruthers however safely gathered the ball, and called for a mark, but then took the kick quickly, putting a long kick up field. He chased his own kick, and put pressure on a Park back row man, who threw a poor pass, which was knocked on. Park relieved the pressure by driving Kendal off their own put in at the scrum, and forcing a penalty, but the kick to touch was poor.

Kendal stayed on the attack, and from a lineout the forwards drove to the line, where Liam Hayton came up with the try. Chris Park who had joined the lineout drive, was unable to add the difficult conversion. 3v8.

Kendal were straight back on the attack. Liam Hayton took the kick off ball and made ground. The ball was moved to the backs, who took the ball deep into the Park half. A penalty was put to touch and again the forwards secured the ball and drove. When the ball came out to Jack Morphet, he appeared to be isolated, but instead was able to drive over to touchdown. Chris Park added the conversion. 3v15

Five minutes later Kendal had their third try. Josh Chaplow gathered an overthrow at a Park lineout and made a good break upfield. Liam Hayton took the move on, and when the ball came back, Damien Armstrong broke a number of tackles to go over for the try. Chris Park again added the conversion. 3v22.

In injury time, Glenn Weightman put a kick upfield, which was chased by Mark Carruthers. He caught the Park ball carrier, and Zane Butler was in quickly and managed to rip the ball from the Park player’s hands. Kendal were however unable to capitalise, but still took a healthy lead into halftime.

Park again started the half well, and added to their score after ten minutes. A long kick was put upfield and bounced kindly to force Kendal to take a defensive lineout near their own line. The throw was adjudged not straight, and from the resulting scrum the Park pack drove over for a try, which was converted. 10v22.

Park quickly reduced the gap further. The Kendal kick off went to touch, and from the lineout, a Park prop made a long break upfield, which was then take on by their outside half, forcing Kendal to concede a penalty. With the outside half receiving treatment for an injury sustained after the run, the Park wing took the kick. 13v22.

Park continued to attack, and it started to look as if Kendal’s half time lead would not be enough.

James Thompson was brought on for Jack Lashley, but he was soon back on the field, after the rare, and worrying sight of captain Duncan Green being forced off with an injury.

After weathering the storm, Kendal hit back. Some good passing between backs and forwards saw Kendal on the attack. From a lineout the ball was moved to Damian Armstrong who made a powerful run to the line, and whilst he was stopped, when the ball came back Glenn Weightman, joined the line, and spotted a gap to glide through for the important bonus point fourth try. Chris Park added the conversion. 13v29.

Three minutes later Kendal extended their lead further. As Park tried to run the ball out of defence, Jack Lashley tried to steal the ball at a breakdown, forcing Park to concede a penalty, as the tackled player failed to release the ball. Dini Noyo took the penalty quickly and made a break to the left, and fed Damian Armstrong who powered over for his second try. 13v34.

With victory finally secure, with five minutes of normal time to play, Kendal brought Dan Boardley and Danny Barker on for Matty Houghton and Damian Armstrong.

Kendal’s final try came after Park were penalised for delaying the put into a scrum. Dini Noyo, took the penalty quickly, and fed Josh Chaplow who made an excellent break down the left wing, and Mark Carruthers was in support to take the pass to go over for the try. 13v39.

Kendal failed to gather the kick off. and Park regained the ball. Their prop powered through the centre, and when stopped the ball was moved to a Park centre for their second try. 18v39.

Park were straight back on the attack from the kick off, and Kendal were forced to defend scrums on their own line in injury time, after conceding penalties, but managed to hold out, without a further score.

Plenty for the coaching team to think about before next weekend’s crunch game away at Kirkby Lonsdale. Another good performance by Josh Chaplow should be enough to secure his place, but there will be competition for the other two back row spots, with newcomer Jack Morphet having a good game. For once however it is behind the pack that there will be the more difficult decisions. Glenn Weightman played well at fullback, but Nathan Wooff looked less comfortable, so it will be interesting to see if the swap of positions is retained. Damian Armstrong and Zane Butler both had good games, as did Dini Noyo at scrum half, but especially if Duncan Green were not to be available, the more abrasive James Gough may be back, with Dini returning to the wing, although Mark Carruthers also had a good game there.

Please note due to the World Cup Semi Final next Saturday, kick-off at Kirkby, is at the earlier time of 2.00pm (despite the clocks not going back until the following day). After gloomy weather and performances in the last two seasons, let’s hope for sunshine and a bright performance next week.

After Kirkby got a good win at Penrith, things could hardly be closer at the top. After 7 games, both teams have 7 wins and 5 bonus points, with Kirkby topping the table on points difference by a single point (205v195 scored and 100v91 conceded)

KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : Josh Chaplow
Another storming performance saw Josh top the vote for a second week, and the back row pick up it up for the fourth week in a row.

Kendal

15 Glenn Weightman
14 Chris Park
13 Zane Butler
12 Damian Armstrong
11 Mark Carruthers
10 Nathan Wooff
9 Dini Noyo

1 Duncan Green (C)
2 Garry Holmes
3 Jack Lashley
4 Liam Hayton
5 Ben Leacock
6 Jack Morphet
7 Josh Chaplow
8 Matty Houghton

sub Dan Boardley (20)
sub James Thompson (18)
sub Danny Barker (20)