It’s A WIN

The pack was unchanged from last weekend at Driffield, but there were a number of changes behind the pack. Mark Carruthers making a first start of the season in the centre, with Kris Bratton moving back to full back. Rory Blakeney-Edwards returned on the wing, and after playing well there when he came on at Driffield, Jordan Johnson started at scrum half.

Visitors Percy Park started the day four places and five points above Kendal, with a win and two try scoring bonus points.

The early exchanges were not good for Kendal, with Percy Park having the ball for long periods, whilst when Kendal got the ball too often it was soon lost again, but on a positive side the defence was holding firm, and the scrum looking stronger, with a highlight being a drive which won a penalty, earning congratulations from a number of the back division.

After twenty minutes the referee caught Kendal offside in midfield, and having been unsuccessful with kicks put to touch, Percy Park took the kick and lead, with a penalty from outside half Toby Davison. 0v3

This seemed to wake Kendal up, and they played their best rugby of the half, with powerful running and good build up work.

Mark Carruthers made good ground down the right, but his pass to Kris Bratton did not go to hand. The referee brought play back for a penalty, but it did not hit the target, but another Mark Carruthers break through the centre saw Percy Park concede another penalty, and this time Glen Weightman made no mistake. 3v3 after twenty five minutes.

The Kendal defence was looking much more solid than in some recent games, with Danny Barker putting in some big tackles to stop Percy Park moves and often force them backwards.

Kendal had the lead after half an hour. Glen Weightman put a penalty to touch in the twenty two. The lineout throw did not find its target, but this worked in Kendal’s favour, as Greg Wrathal gathered the ball, and with the defence wrong footed, ploughed to the line, taking several tacklers with him. Whilst he was stopped short, the ball was re-cycled, and a loose pass was scooped up in midfield by Alistair Thompson, who to powered over for the try, with Glen Weightman adding the conversion. 10v3.

Kendal had a chance to extend their lead in injury time, when stand in wing Ben Dixon powered down the right touchline, but Jordan Johnson in support was not able to gather the pass.

At half-time Jack Lashley replaced Glenn Chesher.

Six minutes into the half Kendal extended their lead. From a scrum, the ball was moved right and Danny Barker powered through, but then undid some of the good work, failing to spot Ben Dixon was in support for a pass. It did not matter as the ball was re-cycled and moved quickly to the right wing, where Rory Blakeney-Edwards powered in for a try. 15v3.

Kendal made a second changes with Dini Noyo coming on to the wing in place of Ben Dixon.

After quarter of an hour, after some pressure from Percy Park, they finally narrowed the lead. A penalty was put to touch and the forwards drove to the line for the try, which was converted. 15v10.

Kendal looked as if they had another score, Danny Barker made a good break down the left, and Jack Lashley was on hand to take the inside pass and powered to the line, but the referee decided Percy Park tacklers had prevented him grounding the ball.

Kendal stayed on the attack but some poor decision making, including several forwards deciding to join the backline, as the rest were trying to drive the ball over the line, saw Kendal punished, as the ball was turned over. Play moved down the right touchline, then there was an excellent break from right wing Michael Grove to go in for the try, but a let off for Kendal, as despite being well cleare of the chasing Dini Noyo, he chose to dive for the line instead of going under the posts to make the conversion easier, and the kick failed so the scores were only tied. 15v15

Kendal made a further change with Lewis Kincart coming on for Jordan Johnson, with Dini Noyo going the scrum half.

Having struggled to take clean ball from several Percy Park restarts, this time Kendal took the re-start, with Chris Evans gathering Glen Weightman’s kick.

Kendal re-took the lead after twenty eight minutes. When awarded a penalty about ten metres into the Percy Park half, Glen Weightman decided to go for goal, and the straight long range kick sailed over. 18v15

With five minutes to play, play was stopped for an injury to No.8 Dan Greenwood, whilst he tried to stay on after treatment, the referee signalled he needed to be replaced, and Ben Dixon returned, coming into his normal back row position.

Two minutes later there was another injury for Kendal with play stopped and Dini Noyo having to be helped off the pitch, and Jordan Johnson returned at scrum half.

Two minutes into injury time given a second long range kick, Glen Weightman again successfully went for the posts to leave Percy Park needing a converted try. 21v15.

Shortly before the penalty the referee had indicated there were four minutes to play, so the game restarted, and again Kendal failed to deal with the restart kicking giving Percy Park an attacking platform. There were a number of penalties, but Kendal held out, and Glen Weightman looked to have a kick to touch to finish the game, but went for distance and the ball stayed in. He quickly made amends by getting across to not only stop a Percy Park attack, but also seeming to strip the ball and put it to touch, but the referee saw something illegal in this, and gave Percy Park a penalty, which was put to touch.

Robbie Collinson became the latest player forced off, as with a cut to the head.

Kendal held out the attack from the lineout to win an indirect penalty, and this time Glen Weightman made no mistake, hammering the ball into the netting behind the posts to end the game and confirm a first victory of the season.

A good game between two evenly matched teams, but if Kendal had taken their chances the nail biting climax would not have been needed.

Lots of positives, with the defence looking much more solid, and the forwards having a better day in the tight exchanges. The backline looked threatening and more passes will go to hand as they play more together. Rory Blakeney-Edwards looked threatening with the ball in hand after a quiet debut a fortnight ago, and Mark Carruthers made a real difference in both attack and defence, whilst Danny Barker broke the defence a number of times, but needed someone in support to then take the move on. Greg Wrathal and Chris Evans both frequently made ground despite being tackled, but again lacked support from those around them, to take the move on.

Plenty still to work on, especially better organisation which would have led to more chances being turned into tries, but a win with room for improvement is a good sign, as there will be tougher challenges to come, starting away at fourth placed Morley next weekend. The quality of opposition faced so far is Scarborough and Driffield both sit above them in the top three.

Your KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : Greg Wrathal

A bumper vote for the first win of the season, and for a second time this season Greg came out on top, with anotehr powerful performance.

Last week's MoM Danny Barker was a few back, just in front of Mark Carruthers, with seven others picking up at least one vote

OTHER RESULTS

TABLE

Off the bottom, but still in the bottom three, and plenty to do to get into mid-table safety - but cut out the errors and with more performances like this and we could be there soon.