Another Excellent Performace

After the excellent win away at previous leaders Wirral last weekend, there were only two changes to the starting line up with Damian Armstrong returned on the right wing for the unavailable Leo Mercer, and John Dervey coming in for James Thompson in the second row, as the team looked for their first home victory of the season against second placed Lymm.

Kendal started well and had the first score of the game after five minutes. The forwards drove well from a lineout, and when the ball was moved Duncan Green set up a second maul. When the ball emerged, James Gough passed the ball to second row John Dervey, who went over in the corner for the try. Glenn Weightman added an excellent conversion from near the left touchline. 7v0.

Kendal continued to press and when the ball went loose from a Lymm handling error, it looked as if a second try was about to be scored, as Zane Butler made a break down the left wing, when he was stopped John Dervey was in support to take the moved on, and got a pass away to Zane Butler, but he was stopped, and Kendal were penalised.

Kendal were immediately punished for failing to take this opportunity, as Lymm broke from deep within their own half. Excellent running and support play, meant there was nothing the Kendal defence could do to stop a try in the left hand corner, there was another excellent conversion to tie the scores. 7v7.

Both Kendal flankers had been injured in the move and Matty Houghton and Blake Robinson were forced off, being replaced by Josh Coyle and Richard Harryman. Harryman moved into the second row at the next scrum, with John Dervey moving to the back row, and the unusual formation gave Lymm the upper hand.

Kendal continued to push and there was good break down the left by John Dervey, but when he was stopped his pass went forward. Again Kendal were to be punished for the missed opportunity as from the resulting scrum another excellent handling moved by Lymm, stretched the Kendal defence, and they took the lead with their second convert try. 7v14.

Lymm’s ability to attack from deep looked as if it could be a real threat, but this was to be the last time they were allowed to get away.

Kendal continued to press, and John Dervey made another good break, but then lost the ball in the tackle.

After twenty five minutes Blake Robinson was able to return in place of Richard Harryman.

Lymm had a blow as their scrum half was forced off, and this seemed to disrupt their play.

The Lymm defence was very quickly up on any Kendal attack, cutting off options for attack, but Kendal persisted to look for gaps, rather than risk kicking the ball away, and risking more lightening Lymm attacks.

It was clear that Lymm were well aware of the threat posed by Dini, and made sure he had no space to work in.

With five minutes of the half to play, Matty Houghton returned for Josh Coyle.

As the half came to an end, Kendal had a let off when a penalty for dissent at a scrum drifted wide, and the score stayed with the Lymm narrow lead at half time.

Kendal started the second half on the attack, but could find no openings on the Lymm defence.

After ten minutes Josh Coyle returned for Matty Houghton.

Having found no way out through the Lymm defence, Kendal changed tactics and Glenn Weightman put a massive kick down field from his own half into the Lymm twenty two. John Dervey followed this up by stealing the Lymm throw. The Kendal pack pounded the Lymm line and several times it looked as if someone had burrowed over, only to be repelled by Lymm. When the ball was finally moved out, but the swift Lymm defence caused confusion, and twice Kendal passes went to Lymm hands, allowing them to clear their lines, and work their way into the Kendal half, and it was starting to look as if it would not be Kendal’s afternoon.

As the game entered the final quarter, Richard Harryman and Matty Houghton returned for Blake Robinson and Dom Musetti. After another good scrumaging display, the fresh legs and old head turn the screw on the powerfully built Lymm pack, and started to gain dominance in the set piece.

Kendal finally got back on level terms with a quarter of an hour to play. The pack won a penalty at a Lymm scrum, and Glenn Weightman put another massive kick into the Lymm twenty two. John Dervey secured the lineout ball, and the pack drove to the line, but again were well held out by Lymm. James Gough took a penalty quickly, but was stopped on the line, but when the ball was move right, as the Lymm defence drifted to stop the threat out wide, Glenn Weightman spotted a gap and went for the line himself, and weaving through for the touchdown under the post, to make his conversion easier, and then made no mistake. 14v14.

Kendal were soon back on the attack, and when Lymm were awarded a scrum in their twenty two the Kendal pack disrupted the ball. Whilst the ball was got away, a pass went loose, and as Zane Butler tried to collect it he was obstructed. There was no penalty try or yellow card, but a penalty was awarded, and Glenn Weightman again made no mistake. 17v14, with eight minutes of normal time to play.

Kendal continued to attack, and after a quiet game on the wing, Damian Armstrong, had several powerful runs down the right wing.

At the end of normal time Kendal won a penalty on the left of the field, and despite their Director of Rugby’s calls for the ball to be put to touch, Glenn Weightman successful added the penalty. 20v14

Kendal safely gathered the restart kick and moved the ball left. When Kendal were awarded a scrum, a Lymm player spoke out of turned and the referee penalised him. Rather than go for touch, Duncan Green ran the penalty himself, and when the ball came back from the resulting ruck, Glenn Weightman was able to put it to touch to end the game.

An excellent performance and a well deserved win against what appeared to be a very strong Lymm side, with clear signs in the last two results that the team can compete with some of the stronger sides in the division.

It was clear that some of the Kendal players and coaching staff were still not happy with some of the referee’s decisions, but he seemed much more consistent that those in the two earlier home games, penalising both teams when the stepped out of line.

A plus for Kendal was the better discipline, with no yellow cards for the first time this season, after conceding thirty one points when players were temporarily off the field in the first four games.

Next week an away trip to struggling Stockport, and a need to maintain the same focus to avoid any banana skins, to undo the good work of the last two games.

KENDAL WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH : John Dervey
An excellent performance in the lineout and also in the loose.
Twice the number of votes than for previous games, and John got twice the votes of any other player, with nine players getting votes, in a great team performace.

HELP REQUIRED : For the stats did Joe Hambley get on at any point ?

Referee : Dave Charlton (RFU North)