Lymm Too Good

Both sides had injury problems, with Lymm reportedly having to field a number of “senior” players, whilst for Kendal Robbie Collinson came in for Garry Holmes at hooker, and Chris Park made a rare appearance at outside half, replacing Jack Blakeney-Edwards, who has departed for Wharfdale, whilst Jordan Johnson came onto the wing, with Zane Butler replacing Danny Barker in the centre. Matthew Charters again started in the second row, and Glen Weightman in the centre.

Kendal started well and were rewarded with the lead within five minutes. The referee had signalled advantage for a Lymm high tackle, but Glen Weightman found a gap in the defence and went through from close to halfway for the opening try. Chris Park added the conversion 0v7.

Lymm were quickly in even terms. As Kendal tried to run the ball from their own twenty two, the ball was turned over, and Kendal then conceded a penalty. This was run quickly and No.8 Oli Higginson ploughed over for the try, with fullback Cormac Nolan adding the conversion. 7v7.

Lymm were playing with a strong wind, but twice this meant long kicks downfield went dead to keep Kendal on the attack.

Kendal looked to have a second scoring opportunity, but a pass from Glen Weightman to Dini Noyo was adjudged to be forward by the referee.

Kendal re-took the lead after a quarter of an hour. After Chris Downham was caught from a previous scrum, when Kendal were awarded another, Matthew Kaye picked up, and the ball was quickly moved left. Dini Noyo joined the line from fullback, and made ground, before getting the ball away to Myles Harrop who went over in the corner. 7v12.

Lymm had a long period in the Kendal half, and when it looked as if a pass had gone astray, the referee spotted that it had been deliberately knocked on by Dini Noyo, and awarded Lymm a penalty, then yellow carded Dini.

Lymm opted to take a scrum from the resulting penalty, and No.8 Oli Higginson picked up and broke a number of tackles, and whilst he was stopped, he got the ball away for a try, that Cormac Nolan converted. 14v12.

Glen Wightman managed to charge down a Lymm kick in their twenty two. The ball went loose towards the touchline, but a Lymm player just got to it before Zane Butler, to hack the ball to touch for a lineout. There was then an odd moment, where having won the line Kendal went for the drive, only for a Lymm player to come around on the Kendal side to kill the move. The referee was on the spot and awarded no penalty, so it appeared he felt the maul had not been formed.

Lymm went back on the attack, and it appeared they had messed up a move on the right, only for the referee to pull play back to the left touchline to award a penalty. Lymm won the ball and drove, with hooker Cash Chilvers breaking away to score, with Cormac Nolan adding the conversion. 21v12.

Deep in injury time, Lymm were on the attack in the Kendal twenty two. Again a moved seemed to have come to an end with an error, only for the referee to comeback for an earlier penalty. This was run, with second row Aaron Rasheed going over for the try, with Cormac Nolan again converting. 28v12.

Despite the large gap in the scoreline, it had been a fairly even first half, with the difference being Lymm taking their chances, whilst Kendal had not. With the wind in Kendal’s favour in the second half, the lead did not see insurmountable.

Lymm however started the half a different team, cutting out the errors, and keeping the ball in hand, to deny Kendal any ball to attack with. When they had the ball, the Kendal forwards were met with a solid defence and often went backwards.

Lymm opened the second half scoring after a quarter of an hour. A move started with a long pass to the left wing Luke Richards seemed to have been cut out by Kendal, but he was driven over for a try.
33v12.

Following the score, Kendal then made changes, with Liam Ridley and Ross McKay coming on for Liam Hayton and Steven Nelson.

Kendal’s cause was not being helped by the loss of their own ball at a number of lineouts, with the strong wind taking the ball away from the Kendal jumpers.

Lymm were putting together some excellent passing moves, with the ball being kept alive with quick passing out of the tackle. One appeared to be about to set up an excellent try, only for a pass to go to touch.

Instead it was Kendal who added an outstanding try. What appeared to be a perfect Lymm kick to the right corner flag, was instead kept in play by Dini Noyo at fullback. He set off on a long crossfield run, and when he was stopped on the Kendal right, the ball was quickly recycled and moved back across field, where Robbie Collinson made ground. When the ball came back, Zane Butler playing in the centre, made a long run down the left touchline, before giving the scoring pass to Myles Harrop who scored under the posts, for Chris Park to quickly add the conversion, to bring the score back to 33v19 with almost twenty minutes still to play.

Dini Noyo made another good break out of defence and Zane Butler took the ball on, but the pass to Myles Harrop went forward, to end the move.

Lymm re-established control, and moved the ball around the field tying the Kendal backs into duties at rucks, instead of being in the open for attacks.

With ten minutes to play, Kendal made another change with Jack Lashley coming on.

Both sides conceded a number of penalties for high or dangerous tackles, and with two minutes of normal time to play Zane Butler was yellow carded, and Cormac Nolan put over the penalty to end any hint of an unlikely comeback. 36v19.

Kendal’s afternoon was summed up with the final action of the game. When awarded a penalty deep within their own half, there was indecision on what to do, in search of a fourth try for a bonus point. Chris Park was eventually given the ball to kick to touch, but the kick did not make it, allowing Lymm to end the game.

Whilst the two sides were a lot closer than the scoreline would suggest, the Lymm second half performance showed they had a little extra in the tank. Whilst the Kendal backline always look dangerous in attack, with the exemption of Chris Downham, unlike their opposite numbers, the Kendal pack failed to make ground, and too often the backs were sucked into rucks, due to the lack of forward support.

Another tough test next weekend with Harrogate the visitors to Mint Bridge.

A positive for Kendal was Kris Bratton was at the game on crutches, and was hoping to resume training shortly, and be fit enough to start around Christmas time.

Your KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : Myles Harrop
Two tries, and plenty more good work in attack and defence saw Myles top the poll again, just edging out Dini and Glen by a vote

Six others trailed further back with a single vote each There did seem be more votes than there were supporters there. Could some be voting for themselves ?