After last weekend’s late drama, Kendal in seventh place travelled to Ilkley in fourth, three wins and fourteen points behind the home team, to start the second round of fixtures. Ilkley had had an excellent start to the season topping the table after five games with maximum points, but in recent games playing others around them at the top of the table, had only won two of their last five games, the same as Kendal, who also has last weekend draw. The earlier game had seen Ilkley win narrowly, in that early run of good results.

A much changes Ilkley back division and captain Ben Magee who was had been expected back after playing sevens oversees, had dropped out in the morning and was replaced as fullback by (as described by the programme) veteran James Henry Johnson, who had originally been selected on the wing. Top scoring wing Harry Harrison with 14 tries so far this season, was also unavailable.

Kendal had also had to make changes, with Leo Mercer and Patrick Wolstenholme, out with injuries picked up last weekend, and Oscar Coxon laid low by the flu. Andy Rogers was also still out. Dan Shorrock and Ben Leacock came off the bench, whilst Johnny Swallow came into the back row. On the bench Connor Lees retained his place, whilst there was a welcome return for his first game of the season for Dane Blenkharn, who had been injured in pre-season. Whilst George Bloom (Phillipson) made a first appearance, since the Penrith game at the end of November 2024.

A dull and cold but dry afternoon.

Ilkley made the better start and a break was only stopped by a desperate high tackle. From the resulting penalty lineout, the Ilkley pack drove strongly to the line. Whilst Kendal initially held them out, the ball was then grounded on the line for a try for prop Jamie Slator. Centre Louis Anderson added the conversion. 7v0.

After this play was even, with both teams having periods of pressure in the others half, but Ilkley always looked the more likely to score. However when the breakthrough came, it was Kendal who got the next try.

The score went to Barney Coxon, who powered over from short range for his fourth try of the season, following good build up work by the team. Evan Moir added the conversion. 7v7.

Kendal had more chances, but it was Ilkley who were to score at the end of the half to regain the lead. Centre Freddy Clark bouncing out of tackles for the touchdown and Louis Anderson, who was proving to be Ilkley’s star player, adding the difficult conversion. 14v7

An injury to Joe Anderson in the build up to the try, saw Connor Lees come on.

There was still time for the game to re-start, and Ilkley went looking for another try, but Kendal just managed to hold out, and had the benefit of the wind in the second half.

Ilkley started the second half as they had the first with an early try, Some excellent handling, keeping the ball moving out of the tackle, saw James Henry Johnson, who had looked out of place at fullback for much of the first half, power over. The conversion from out wide this time bounced back off the post, with Ollie Rose having made a good run to try to distract the kicker. 19v7

Kendal made a second change with George Bloom coming on for Dan Shorrock.

The fourth bonus point try for Ilkley came in odd circumstances. A clever lineout move with the ball thrown to the very front of the line, then immediately returned to hooker Ollie Ham who powered down the touchline, seemed to have led to a try, but Kendal players managed to stop him grounding the ball to get a goal-line drop out. This went straight down the middle of the pitch to star player Louise Anderson, who went for a drop goal, but the kick hardly got off the ground. This was however to work in Ilkley’s favour. Ollie Rose tried to trap the ball with this foot, but instead it rolled away dead, to give Ilkley a scrum under the posts.

The Ilkley pack was on top and won a penalty, and again went for a scrum. This time they drove to the line, and whilst the Kendal pack avoided conceding a penalty try, scrum half Ed Brown broke away for a try, that Louis Anderson converted. 26v7.

The view on the touchline was the ball needed to be moved faster to George Bloom on the wing, and with possibly his first touch after ten minutes on the field he got Kendal’s second try. The move was started with a good break by Ollie Rose with the move taken on by Matt Hougton, and then the ball was moved to the left wing for Bloom to power home. The conversion from wide was not successful. 26v12.

Kendal made a third change with Dane Blenkharn coming on, in place of Connor Lees, with Barney Coxon moving into the front row.

Nine minutes later Ilkley extended their lead with a second try from short range for scrum half Ed Brown, again Louis Anderson added the conversion 33v12.

Dan Shorrock returned in place of Ben Dixon and took his place in the centre.

Kendal continued to look for a further score, but poor options and handling errors let them down, and when Ilkley had the ball they kept it tight to run the clock down.

For the Kendal team, without doing much wrong, nothing seemed to go right, and they were well beaten by a powerful well organised Ilkley team, despite them missing some key players.

Next week York are the visitors to Mint Bridge. Despite being at the foot of the table with just the one win, their last two games, both at home, have seen them run leaders Heath and third placed Alnwick close. So the Kendal team may need to step up a gear to get a much needed win to stay clear of the teams just below them in the table at the Christmas break.

KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH

Aaron Stephens

ACTION

TEAMS :

OTHER RESULTS

Everything as expected but Penrith's troubles continued whilst another good if unsuccessful result for York, before they travel to Mint Bridge next week, for the last game before the three week Christmas break.

TABLE

No real change with Alnwick the only one of the top six to drop a point and none of the bottom six picked a point up. So the only change is the gap between the two widening.