Grandstand Finish

A late change saw Dini Noyo move to scrum half, in place of James Gough, with Mark Carruthers coming in on the wing. Duncan Green, Robbie Collinson and Dom Musetti had all failed to recover from injuries, so Richard Harryman and Matty Houghton came into the front row. Zane Butler returned in the back division, in place of Damian Armstrong.

Second place in the league Rossendale, came into the game with only one loss in their last eighteen games, although they had had some tight encounters since Christmas.

Kendal started well and two early handling errors by the Rossendale left wing, put Kendal on the attack in the Rossendale twenty two. Liam Hayton won a lineout, and the forwards drove to the line, with Joe Robinson breaking away for the try. Chris Park added the difficult conversion. 0v7 with less than five minutes played.

The next twenty minutes were all Rossendale, as they kept Kendal pinned defending in their own twenty-two. As with many opposition teams this season, Rossendale seemed to have a set game plan, and refused to change it when it did not work, as their forwards made little ground, as they tried to bully the Kendal pack, and were instead often driven backwards. Danny Barker and Zane Butler were also putting in some thundering tackles in midfield.

Rossendale looked certain to score driving from a lineout, after Kendal had been penalised, but when a player broke away, Dini Noyo held him up and then with some help drove him to touch.

After the long period in defence, Kendal finally broke away, and moved up field. Glenn Weightman put a kick downfield, and when it was returned, Mark Carruthers gathered and passed infield to Chris Park. He made ground, before passing to Danny Barker who passed to Kris Bratton close to halfway. With Zane Butler in support outside him, Bratton set off on weaving run through the Rossendale defence, finally rounding the Rossendale fullback to score a magnificent try, with Chris Park adding the conversion. 0v14.

There was a blow for Kendal as Chris Downham was forced off with an injury, but the strength in depth of the back row meant Blake Robinson was available to come on to replace him, with Joe Robinson moving to No.8.

Kendal had to do more defending, but Rossendale were clearly rattled and started making mistakes which allowed Kendal to relieve the pressure.

Things were to get better for Kendal. In almost a carbon copy of the build up for the second try, another kick out of defence was run back by Mark Carruthers and Chris Park. This time when the ball came to Kris Bratton, he had far less space to work with, and there appeared no way through the defence, but he bounced off a would be tackler, to go through for a second try which Chris Park again converted. 0v21.

In injury time ex-Kendal player Reece Tomlinson was yellow carded for a tip tackle on Joe Robinson, and was possibly fortunately not to have a more serious sanction.

With time running out, Glenn Weightman threaded a grubber kick through the Rossendale defence for Danny Barker and Zane Butler to chase, but the referee decided they had not got the ball down before it went out of play.

This was the last play of the half, and Rossendale would have the benefit of the slope in the second half, and their coaches’ words of wisdom, after a half they had often dominated, but found themselves three scores behind.

Rossendale started well and were moving the ball quicker, but it was Kendal who were to extend their lead.

Another Rossendale handling error gave Kendal possession, and from a lineout the Kendal pack drove their opponents, who were still down to fourteen. When the drive was stopped, there were a number of short breaks from forwards, but Dini Noyo then spotted a gap in the defence, and burst through to score Kendal’s fourth try of the game. Chris Park’s conversion was touched, but still went over off the cross bar. 0v28.

Rossendale continued to push and managed to steal a scrum ball, from what for the rest of the game had been a solid Kendal scrum. They then stole Kendal lineout ball. A passing move put Rossendale left wing Fraser Lindsey in for their first score, and outside half Steve Nutt put the conversion over off the post. 7v28.

Kendal made their second substitution with Garry Holmes replacing Matty Houghton in the front row.

It took Rossendale only three more minutes to score again. From a lineout, after Kendal had been penalised, the Rossendale pack drove to the line, and when the ball came out, Fraser Lindsey added his second score. The conversion failed meaning Rossendale would need an extra score if they were to come back. 12v28

Rossendale were now in total control, running the ball at pace, breaking tackles with excellent offloading whenever Kendal stopped them, showing skills that had not been evident in the first half.

A third try followed four minutes later, through flanker Dominic Moon, with Steve Nutt successful with the convention. 19v28, with over twenty minutes still to play.

Kendal steadied the quick fire scoring of nineteen points in nine minutes, but could do nothing to stop a forward drive to the line ten minutes later, for a converted try which brought Rossendale to a single score of the lead. 26v28.

Any thoughts that Kendal would fold were soon dispelled, as the team went looking for another score of their own to stretch their lead.

A Rossendale kick out of defence was charged down, and Danny Barker hacked the ball through to the line, but the referee decided that a Rossendale player got to the ball first, and awarded a drop out.

Kendal made a further substitution with Will Montgomery coming on for Blake Robinson.

Kendal put a penalty to the corner, rather than going to the posts for an extra score, which would still not put them a converted try ahead. In the lineout, Liam Hayton appeared to be taken out in the air, as he gathered the ball. The referee blew immediately, but only awarded a scrum.

Matty Houghton returned in place of Mark Carruthers.

Kendal continued to attack with the forwards keeping the ball close, as they inched towards the line, but when they were stopped under the posts, the referee crucially decided a Kendal player had been held up before the line, and awarded the scrum to Rossendale.

As Rossendale broke down field, Joe Robinson was injured, and forced off, with Mark Carruthers returning on the wing, and Matty Houghton rejoining the pack.

More excellent Rossendale handling and powerful running took them deep into the Kendal twenty two, but as they battered the Kendal line, the Kendal pack held out, and it seemed likely that when the ball next went dead, it would be the end of the game.

Rossendale then changed tactics, and outside half Steve Nutt gambled on a long kick across field to the left wing. Whilst the ball was cleanly gathered, Mark Carruthers, who had been defending in midfield, managed to get across to make a tackle to prevent the score, but Rossendale support players were across quickly to recycle the ball, and put Fraser Lindsey in for his third try. Steve Nutt failed with the kick at goal, but this turned out to be the last play of the game and Rossendale had snatched the lead for the first time. 31v28.

After the first half dominance and the some excellent handing in the second half, it would be harsh to suggest Rossendale did not deserve their victory, but it was another excellent display by Kendal with the two best tries coming from Kris Bratton, and for a second week some exceptional work in defence, and the team would not have been flattered by the result, if they had added one of the other chances, or held out in the frantic final minutes.

The performance was also achieved without a number of key players such as James Gough, Dom Musetti, and Duncan Green, whilst Chris Downham was also off the field for much of the game, but those who came in were more than able replacements, so there will be more selection headaches of the right kind to come.

Kendal became only the second team to get a try scoring bonus point against Rossendale, something even Huddersfield have yet to achieve.

A week to repair bodies, before Sandal come to Mint Bridge for the penultimate First XV game there. Hopefully another performance like this, but with a different outcome.

KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH[ Dini Noyo
Just pipping Kris Bratton. After two excellent tries in the first half, Kris seemed to have it in the bag, but Dini's work after half time, especially in defence seems to have just swung it his way.
In reality there could have been fifteen Men of the Match, running a team packed with players who have played at a higher level, so close