Disappointing Defeat

Kendal were force into a number of late changes with Matt Houghton (knee) and Kris Bratton (hamstring) picking up injuries in Thursday training, whilst Dom Musetti was also forced to drop out. The good news was Mike Fearon was back, and replaced Bratton, with Brett Ashley moving to the wing.

Glenn Chesher and Matt Charters came off the bench to fill the other two gaps, with Robbie Collinson and back row Ben Dixon making his debut.

After a slow start in the League Billingham had won five of their last six games.

Kendal started well, and looked as if they could open the scoring, when Dini Noyo chased a Glen Weightman kick to the corner, only for the referee to call play back for offside.

Kendal had another chance to open the scoring. They were penalised at a ruck for failing to release the ball in the tackle, but Mattie Kaye thought it was a Kendal penalty and went to run, only to be heavily tackled, leading to the penalty being reversed. The Billingham player was probably fortunate that the referee did not take further action for the dangerous tackle. The kick drifted wide and the game remained scoreless.

The opening score came from a Kendal lineout, where Billingham stole the ball. The ball was moved into mid-field and Billingham prop Adam Sunley, went on a powerful run to the line, brushing off would be tacklers. 0v7 with the successful conversion.

The lead only lasted four minutes, before Kendal opened their own scoring. There was a magnificent run done the left, by Dini Noyo, breaking a number of tackles, on his way to the line. He was finally stopped just short. When the ball quickly came back, Glen Weightman went for a gap, and whilst he was stopped Duncan Green picked up to go over from short range. Chris Park converted 7v7

Five minutes later Kendal had the lead. Chris Downham made a powerful long break down the right, Brett Ashley and Will Montgomery were in support, and Downham used them to hold the defenders off as he made more ground. When stopped the ball was quickly moved across field by Glen Weightman and Danny Barker, for Dini Noyo to squeeze in at the corner. 12v7

Kendal were forced into a long period of defence in their own twenty two, and lost Chris Downham, to a yellow card for a high tackle. After being awarded a number of penalties, Billingham finally forced their way over for an unconverted try in the left hand corner, from a lineout drive. 12v12.

This was the last score of the half.

Billingham tightened up their defence after half time, and with Kendal struggling in the lineout, they tried to run the ball from their own twenty two, but the tough defence meant they made little ground and were forced into a number of errors, often losing the ball, but managed to hold out.

After a quarter of an hour, Kendal made their first change with Mark Carruthers coming on for Mattie Kaye who went onto the wing, with Dini Noyo moving to scrum half, but this did not have the same positive effect that it had a week earlier, against a better organised team.

After twenty minutes Billingham were attacking, when Glen Weightman appeared to knock on when going for an interception, but the referee felt it was a deliberate knock on, and awarded a penalty and yellow carded Weightman.

Billingham scrum half Dan Finney broke the deadlock with the resultant penalty. 12v15.

Another problem at a Kendal lineout led to the third Billingham try. Billingham stole the ball, and moved it into midfield, then moved it back to the left for a try in the corner. 12v20.

With three minutes to play, Billingham extended their lead with a penalty 12v23.

Kendal made two changes with Robbie Collinson coming on for Garry Holmes, whilst Ben Dixon replaced Will Montgomery.

Kendal finished with a flourish, playing by far their best rugby of the half, and pounded the Billingham line, but despite a number of good runs, the Billingham defence continued to hold firm. Finally Danny Barker chipped the ball into the corner, but the ball bounced away from Brett Ashley, to run out of play and end the game.

Kendal were not at their best, and made far too many errors, especially in the lineout, but many of these came from the pressure from a Billingham team who were very strong in defence in the second half, and were good value for their win.

With Sandal getting maximum points at Birkenhead Park, the away game there next weekend, becomes even more important, as they would leapfrog Kendal with a win.

KENDAL WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH : Duncan Green

Plenty of choice this week, with ten of the fifteen who started picking up at least one vote, but Duncan managed to collect twice as many votes as any other player.

One of our players who quietly goes about their job, whose hard work can slip under the radar. This week Duncan was reward with a rare try, and regularly managed to make ground against what appeared to be a very tough and tight defence.