Birkenhead Park were already relegated, but had run Kendal close in the game at Mintbridge just before Christmas and had also run Ilkley close in their previous game. Kendal came into the game in seventh place, needing a good result to help hold on to a top half of the table at the end of the season, with Ilkely and Kirkby Lonsdale on the same points total and Wirral just one point behind.
Kris Bratton had recovered from his injury last weekend against Hull, but Jacob Sutton was forced to sit the game out. Ross McKay was unwell so moved to the bench with John Dervey, now available due to a change in work, making a first appearance of the season in the second row. With Matt Charters also still out, Alistair Thompson retained his place in the back row, with Garry Holmes joining him, and Robbie Collinson coming in at hooker.
Kendal had the better of the opening exchanges, but were making too many mistakes, with passes being force, often going to ground, or being intercepted.
After fifteen minutes Birkenhead Park made a good break down the right wing, which needed a try saving tackle from Dini Noyo, the ball was moved left and again Park looked certain to score, only for Danny Barker to get across to make a tackle. Kendal were trapped on their line and twice gave away penalties, and finally a Park player went over from short range to open the scoring. Outside half Simon Mason added the conversion. 7v0.
Kendal continued to have the better of play, but the mistakes continued to prevent a score.
Kendal were struggling at the lineout, which often required John Dervey to have to stretch to tap poor ball back, or Alistair Thompson and Glenn Chesher, at the back of the line, to gather ball which had failed to find its target. Eventually Garry Holmes took over the throws, which improved things, although there were still problems
Chris Downham made a good run from close to halfway. When he was stopped Dini Noyo took the move on, and also made ground into the Park twenty two. The ball was re-cycled and Glen Weightman broke through the centre, but was hauled down by the last defender, and had no one in support. The forwards took the move on, but the ball was knocked on near the line.
Robbie Collinson made a good break through the centre, but his pass went forward to a Birkenhead Park player.
The was another period of Kendal pressure on the Park line, but during a drive towards the line, a number of forwards stayed in the centre or on the wing, and it fell to Chris Park to add his weight, but Park held out.
The half ended with just the one score between the teams.
There was a bad start to the second half for Kendal, as the Park restart kick was knocked on. This gave Park a scrum and the ball was moved into the centre, where a break was made, and whilst the defence held out, the ball was spread right and there seemed a certain try, but Danny Barker managed to stop the ball being grounded. A strong Park scrum earned a penalty, which was put to touch. From the lineout, the Park forwards set up a drive for the line, and whilst Kendal held out, a Park player broke away to go over for the try, which Simon Mason again converted. 14v0.
Another poor re-start saw Kendal concede a penalty, which immediate put Park back on the attack.
John Dervey had a hand injury which forced him off with Ross McKay coming o,n but fortunately Dervey was soon able to return.
After a quarter of an hour Dom Musetti came off to be replaced by Jack Lashley.
Kris Bratton and Chris Downham both made frequent attempt to break the defence, but Park had clearly done their homework and gave them little space.
The third Park try came with just over fifteen minutes to play. In the Kendal twenty two, Park lost the ball at a lineout, giving Kendal a scrum put in, but drove the Kendal pack backwards and Mattie Kaye did well to get a clearance kick away, but it kept Park on the attack. Having secured ball they drove for the line, and again a player broke away to score. The conversion kick kept very low but crawled over the bar. 21v0.
With Park again on the attack, and seeming to be looking for their fourth bonus point try, outside half Simon Mason oddly decided to instead go for a drop goal. In hindsight was to prove a vital decision.
With ten minutes to play Kendal made a further change with Jordan Johnson coming on. He went onto the left wing and Dini Noyo went to scrum half, with Mattie Kaye going off.
The move quickly paid off, with Dini Noyo going over for the opening Kendal score. Clearly there were still thoughts of a Kendal comeback as Chris Park, quickly drop kicked the conversion. 24v7.
A number of Park players were clearly now struggling, and it took a long time for the ball to be get back for the re-start.
Kendal were quickly back on the attack and four minutes later added a second try. Glen Weightman spotted the Park defence coming up quickly, as they had done all afternoon, and rolled a kick through, which Dan Barker chased to touchdown, with this time Glen Weightman adding the conversion with a drop kick. 24v14.
Park seemed to be finishing the game the stronger, and a good cross field passing move hinted at a fourth try, but instead a pass went loose and Glen Weightman gathered the ball and made a long break from within his half to the Park twenty two, just when it looked as if the Park defence would catch him, he got the ball away to Kris Bratton who cleverly looped around the defence to score. The conversion was quickly added, but this was the last action off the game, and there was no chance for a fourth Kendal try and a remarkable, if barely deserved fourth try for victory.
Whilst Park were good value for their lead, they looked like a team destined for relegation, but Kendal did not give them enough respect and too many poor decisions cost them victory.
Next week it is the last home game of the season against Ilkley. Poor performances are often followed by a much improved one the following week, so hopefully we are in for an entertaining encounter against one of our rivals for seventh place.
Your KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : Danny Barker
A number of key tackles saw Danny just edge Glen Weightman out.
Action | Team | No | Name | Time | BP | Ken | |
Try | Birkenhead Park | ? | 19 | 5 | 0 | ||
Con | Birkenhead Park | 10 | Simon Mason | 20 | 7 | 0 | |
= = = | = = = | = = = | HALF TIME | 40+1 | 7 | 0 | |
Try | Birkenhead Park | ? | 45 | 12 | 0 | ||
Con | Birkenhead Park | 10 | Simon Mason | 46 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-on | Kendal | 19 | Ross McKay | 48 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-off | Kendal | 4 | John Dervey | 48 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-on | Kendal | 4 | John Dervey | 53 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-off | Kendal | 19 | Ross McKay | 53 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-on | Kendal | 16 | Jack Lashley | 57 | 14 | 0 | |
sub-off | Kendal | 3 | Dom Musetti | 57 | 14 | 0 | |
Try | Birkenhead Park | ? | 63 | 19 | 0 | ||
Con | Birkenhead Park | 10 | Simon Mason | 64 | 21 | 0 | |
DG | Birkenhead Park | 10 | Simon Mason | 67 | 24 | 0 | |
sub-on | Kendal | 21 | Jordan Johnson | 68 | 24 | 0 | |
sub-off | Kendal | 19 | Mattie Kaye | 68 | 24 | 0 | |
Try | Kendal | 11 | Dini Noyo | 71 | 24 | 5 | |
Con | Kendal | 15 | Chris Park | 72 | 24 | 7 | |
Try | Kendal | 12 | Danny Barker | 76 | 24 | 12 | |
Con | Kendal | 10 | Glen Weightman | 77 | 24 | 14 | |
Try | Kendal | 14 | Kris Bratton | 84 | 24 | 19 | |
Con | Kendal | ? | 85 | 24 | 21 | ||
= = = | = = = | = = = | FULL TIME | 85 | 24 | 21 |
Birkenhead Park | Kendal | |
Dave Hall | 15 | Chris Park |
Adam Wellington | 14 | Kris Bratton |
Matt Walls | 13 (22) | Mike Fearon |
Ollie Warton | 12 | Danny Barker |
Chris McNoe | 11 | Dini Noyo |
Simon Mason | 10 | Glen Weightman |
Sam Chidley | 9 (18) | Mattie Kaye |
James Milward | 1 | Glenn Chesher |
Stu Brown | 2 | Robbie Collinson |
Peter Doolan | 3 | Dom Musetti |
Josh Smith | 4 | John Dervey |
Fraser Smale | 5 | Ben Leacock |
Jack Ashcroft (C) | 6 | Garry Holmes |
Laurence Thomas | 7 | Alistair Thompson |
Ollie Mabbott | 8 | Chris Downham |
Liam Sharples | sub (16) | Jack Lashley |
Elliot Madgin | sub (19) | Ross McKay |
Ben Marsh | sub (21) | Jordan Johnson |