After the important win against a Cleckheaton team sitting below them in the table last weekend, this looked a different challenge away at a Harrogate team, relegated back to this level at the end of last season, who sat in third having only lost twice both away at Penrith and league leaders Heath. In their last home game they had become only the second team to defeat second placed Ilkley, who if results went their way Harrogate had the chance to overtake into second in the League.

Two changes for Kendal both in the pack with no Matt Houghton or Robbie Kincart. Andy Rogers moved to 2 and Glenn from the bench to 1. Johnny Swallow came into the back row, and Reece Tomlinson came onto the bench.

A wet afternoon and by the end of the game it was getting dark, and Harrogate do not have lights.

Harrogate kicked off and it looked as if Kendal had failed to deal with the kick, but instead got the chance of a scrum on halfway.

This gave Kendal the opening to have the better of the early exchanges and when awarded a penalty after six minutes took the points, with Evan Moir kicking the penalty. 0v3

Harrogate came back and took the lead, with a try from short range 5v3.

Kendal continued to have the better of play, and the re-took the lead with a try after twenty minutes. Aaron Stephens and Leo Mercer made ground down the left. The ball was then moved across field to the other wing. Patrick Wolstenholme went for the line and made a lot of ground, but was stopped before the line, but when the ball came back, Andy Rogers appeared at pace to take the pass and crash over from short range. 5v8.

At this point it was all Kendal, and anyone who did not know, would have thought it was them, not their hosts, who were making a string of handling errors under pressure from the Kendal defence, who were looking for second place in the table.

Despite missing both the players who normally take lineout throws, the Kendal lineout was going well with Andy Rogers throwing, keeping the throws simple. When Harrogate got hands to the ball it was only to knock on

When Harrogate were penalised at a ruck just before the half hour, Ben Dixon again gave Evan Moir the kick and he extended the lead. 5v11.

Ten minutes later, Andy Rogers won a penalty trying to steal Harrogate ball, and when the Harrogate player failed to release, Evan Moir was given a chance to push the lead beyond a single score. 5v14.

Harrogate then had their best spell of the half. A kick though seemed to have gone dead but the referee had seen it come off a Kendal player to give Harrogate a scrum near the line. Harrogate had several attempts to get over the line, but the Kendal defence held out, and a Harrogate knock on allowed Kendal to put the ball dead to end the half and retain their lead.

Both teams went in at half time, and Kendal were unchanged at the start of the second half.

Evan Moir restarted the game with a good low kick, which was excellent fielded by the Harrogate left wing but he was then caught and forced to concede a penalty. Evan Moir was again given the kick to further extend the lead. 5v17.

With a damp ball and poor light, both teams had been using kicks, and both had been handling them well, but finally a Harrogate kick was spilled by a Kendal player and went back to set up a move that saw a try down the right, to bring Harrogate back to within a score. 10v17

After the score Kendal made a first change with Ben Leacock coming on for Joe Anderson, who had earlier needed treatment. Barney Coxon moved into the front row.

The Harrogate fullback was having an excellent game, dealing with Evan Moir and Aaron Stephens kicks and either making ground or returning the kicks, but Aaron Stephens was also gathering the kicks very well.

The scores were tied after twenty minutes with Harrogate adding a third try from a penalty taken from short range. This time it was converted. 17v17

This saw a second Kendal change with Ben O’Halloran coming on for Dan Shorrock.

At this point Kendal were struggling to get any ball, and it appeared Harrogate would power to another win, but it was not to be, as Kendal came back.

With Kendal on the attack, and the pack driving from a lineout, the referee appeared to signal a penalty, and the ball was moved wide, but when Kendal were held up in the tackle, despite there appearing little advantage, the referee awarded Harrogate a scrum. It didn’t matter as the Kendal pack won a penalty, and Evan Moir re-established the Kendal lead, 17v20.

Shortly afterwards Evan Moir put a kick through to the Harrogate twenty-two but was injured and had to be helped off, with Dan Shorrock returning and Aaron Stephens moving to outside half,

With ten minutes to play Reece Tomlinson came on for Patrick Wolstenholme, who had had another good game.

As the clock ticked down towards full time and Kendal deep in the Harrogate half, it looked as if a important victory was possible, but it was not to be.

Two penalties were conceded to put Harrogate on the attack. Then a kick through caused confusion and a third penalty was conceded. Whether Harrogate decided to gamble on getting a win rather than taking the points for draw, or felt the angle was too wide, but they ran the ball, and were rewarded with a try from short range to snatch the lead back. The conversion failed but was the last action of the game so Harrogate went from just a single point that would have left them sitting in fourth, to maximum points to go second, after Ilkley were beaten at Heath.

For Kendal an important bonus point, but a performance which deserved a win, against a Harrogate team who had a lot of very good players, but were probably unable to deal with the damp conditions as well as Kendal.

Next week another important game with Drifield who sit two places and five points above Kendal the visitors to Mint Bridge in the final game of the first round of fixtures. If results go the right way, it could see Kendal in the top half of the table at the halfway point.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Evan Moir

TEAMS

OTHER RESULTS

TABLE