Mike Fearon, who had been rested against Pocklington, came in with Brett Ashley moving to the bench, whilst Garry Holmes replaced Ben Dixon in the back row. In a late change Nathan Wooff replaced Chris Park at fullback, with Dan Greenwood take the space on the bench
There were ominous signs for Kendal, as the Hoppers pack drove them off their own ball at an early scrum, which ended with a try for No.8 Matt Lamprey, converted by scrum half Jake Squirrell 7v0.
Hoppers scored straight from the restart, with fullback Scott Jordan brushing off some ineffective tackling to score. Squirrell added the conversion 14v0.
Kendal gave their supporters some hope with a good spell in the Hoppers half. Nathan Wooff put a kick from halfway into the corner, and the forwards kept the pressure on Hoppers, who made a few handling mistakes under pressure, which kept Kendal on the attack. The powerful Hoppers defence however made sure Kendal could make little progress, often being forced backwards.
There was an opportunity for Kendal when Kris Bratton read a looping Hoppers pass in midfield in their own twenty two, and almost intercepted, but failed to take the difficult ball and knocked on.
Having weathered the storm with twenty five minutes played, Hoppers again scored twice quickly.
After the Kendal defence managed to hold out a battering from the powerful Hoppers pack, there was nothing that could be done when the ball came out, with the defence already committed, and centre James Fitzpatrick took advantage to score. Squirrell again added the conversion. 21v0.
Hoppers again scored immediately from the kick-off. A forward was lifted into the air to take the restart. When the ball was moved wide, Glenn Weightman was up quick in defence, only for the ball to be moved on quickly, with an improvised volleyball punch. The ball came out to the left wing where Niall Crosley outpaced the defence to score from deep within his own half. 28v0, with the conversion from Squirrell.
The next try came again after the Kendal defence had been sucked in, with No.8 Matt Lamprey cantering over from the centre to score, 35v0 with the conversion.
As the half came to an end, Kendal were on the attack and Hoppers put a short kick out defence. Kris Bratton made ground and jumped well to collect it, but was then tackled before he reached the ground. This lead to some unseemly exchange of view between the two teams. Once referee Owen Taylor had sorted them out, he issued speedster Niall Crossley with a yellow card.
The penalty was put to touch, and whilst the throw failed to hit its target, Glenn Chesher tidied up at the back of the lineout, and fired up by the recent incidents the forwards set up an impressive drive towards the line, against their more powerfully built opponents. The drive was ended illegally, which saw Hoppers reduced to thirteen men, with substitute Sam Gale issued with a yellow card for his involvement.
From the penalty, the ball was moved into midfield, and Glenn Weightman put what initially seemed to be a loose kick back towards the corner, but clearly this was a pre-planned move, as with his opposite number on the side lines, Kris Bratton was waiting to collect the ball just within the field of play, and did well to keep his footing, to dot the ball down just before the dead ball line. Weightman added a second excellent kick, putting the conversion over from near the touchline, in the final action of the half. 35v7
At half time Dan Greenwood came on for Robbie Collinson, with Garry Holmes moving to hooker.
Kendal still had the numerical advantage, but Hoppers simply stepped up a gear. Always quick to steal ball in the tackle, they turned over Kendal ball in midfield, and moved the ball down the left wing with for centre Alex Hurst to score. After putting over all five first half conversions, Jake Squirrell finally failed, with a relatively simple kick. 40v7.
The all-round footballing skills of the Hoppers were demonstrated in the next try, with back row man Ally Murray, popping up in the centre, then putting a delicate chip kick over the try line, for fullback Scott Jordan, to chase and score. Jake Squirrell made up for his earlier miss, putting over the much more difficult conversion from near the touchline. 47v7
Back on the field left wing Niall Crosley, scored the next try with a weaving run. Squirrell again added the conversion 54v7.
Kendal were forced into making a second substitution. Glenn Weightman put a chip over the Hoppers defence, then collected his own kick, but fell awkwardly in the tackle and required a long period of treatment, but was able to walk off, to be replaced by Brett Ashley, who went onto the wing with Nathan Wooff moving to outside half, and Kris Bratton to fullback.
Whilst most of his team were having a fruitful afternoon, lively right wing Tyler Spence was finding things tougher, as Dini Noyo seemed to equal to every move he made, pulling off a number of tackles, dragging him down, whenever Spence looked to get away.
Crossley added his third try, when Kendal lost the ball when trying to run a penalty within their half. Squirrell added the conversion. 61v7.
Having earlier failed to pass to wing Tyler Spence in support, only to be caught himself, No.8 Matt Lampley made no mistake when given another opportunity. A Kendal penalty failed to find touch, and when the ball was moved to Lampley he did not need his support runner, as he powered over from long distance for the try 68v7
With ten minutes to play Kendal made their final changes bringing Jack Lashley on for Dom Musetti.
A quickly taken penalty allowed No.8 Lampley to go over for his fourth try of the afternoon, Squirrell converted 75v7.
Kendal ill-discipline contributed to Hoppers next try. In the Hoppers half, Kendal were awarded a penalty, only for it to be reversed for an off the ball incident. Then having won a scrum, they were penalised for the use of a hand to win the ball. No.7 Matt Frings showed he was as skilful as his two back row colleagues, with a long run at pace to score. Jake Squirrell added his eleventh conversion. 82v7.
A third Hoppers player saw a yellow card, when prop Peter Altham was penalised for dangerous play as his team came out of defence.
This did not stop Hoppers having the last word with a third try for fullback Scott Jordan on the final whistle. 87v7
The frightening thing is the Hoppers coaches will still probably see room for improvement, with some poor options taken, balls lost in contact, and poor discipline leading to three yellow cards when the game was already won, but the reality was this performance was several classes above anything else we have seen this season. Kendal did not play badly, apart from a few weak tackles, but could not live with the power and speed of a team whose backrow are as fast as most wings.
Sorry for the later than normal report this week. Nothing to do with the score line or needing extra time to record all the scoring. Just lack of internet access on Saturday evening – normal service should be resumed for the Harrogate match at Mintbridge next weekend.
Your KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : Garry Holmes
Team | No | Name | Time | PGH | Ken | |
Preston GH | 8 | Matt Lamprey | 6 | 5 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 7 | 7 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 15 | Scott Jordan | 8 | 12 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 9 | 14 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 12 | James Fitzpatrick | 26 | 19 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 27 | 21 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 11 | Niall Crosley | 28 | 26 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 29 | 28 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 8 | Matt Lamprey | 35 | 33 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 36 | 35 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 11 | Niall Crosley | 40 | 35 | 0 | |
Preston GH | 17 | Sam Gale | 40+2 | 35 | 0 | |
Kendal | 14 | Kris Bratton | 40+4 | 35 | 5 | |
Kendal | 10 | Glen Weightman | 40+5 | 35 | 7 | |
= = = | = = = | HALF TIME | 40+5 | 35 | 7 | |
Kendal | 19 | Dan Greenwood | 40 | 35 | 7 | |
Kendal | 2 | Robbie Collinson | 40 | 35 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 13 | Alex Hurst | 45 | 40 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 15 | Scott Jordan | 49 | 45 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 51 | 47 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 11 | Niall Crosley | 55 | 52 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 56 | 54 | 7 | |
Kendal | 23 | Brett Ashley | 57 | 54 | 7 | |
Kendal | 10 | Glen Weightman | 57 | 54 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 11 | Niall Crosley | 59 | 59 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 60 | 61 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 8 | Matt Lamprey | 69 | 66 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 70 | 68 | 7 | |
Kendal | 17 | Jack Lashley | 71 | 68 | 7 | |
Kendal | 3 | Dom Musetti | 71 | 68 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 8 | Matt Lamprey | 73 | 73 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 74 | 75 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 7 | Matt Fings | 76 | 80 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 9 | Jack Squirrell | 77 | 82 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 3 | Peter Altham | 78 | 82 | 7 | |
Preston GH | 15 | Scott Jordan | 80 | 87 | 7 | |
= = = | = = = | FULL TIME | 81 | 87 | 7 |
Preston Grasshoppers | Kendal | |
Scott Jordan | 15 | Nathan Wooff |
Tyler Spence | 14 | Kris Bratton |
Alex Hurst | 13 (21) | Mike Fearon |
James Fitzpatrick | 12 | Danny Barker |
Niall Crosley | 11 | Dini Noyo |
Alex Ward | 10 | Glen Weightman |
Jack Squirrell | 9 | James Gough |
Oga Mabaya | 1 | Glenn Chesher |
Paul Millea (C) | 2 | Robbie Collinson |
Peter Altham | 3 | Dom Musetti |
Paul Arnold | 4 | Ross McKay |
Chris Roddy | 5 | Ben Leacock |
Ally Murray | 6 | Jacob Sutton |
Matt Fings | 7 | Garry Holmes |
Matt Lamprey | 8 | Matt Charters |
Ollie Tripper | (16) sub (23) | Brett Ashley |
Sam Gale | (17) sub (19) | Dan Greenwood |
Sam Stott | (22) sub (17) | Jack Lashley |
Owen Taylor | Ref |