Long Wait for a Away Win Ended with Magnificent First Half Performance

The early exchanges gave little hint of the game to come, as both teams made a string of errors, with poor kicking giving easy possession back to their opponents.

Chris Park opened the scoring with a penalty, after Carlisle had been penalised for handling in the ruck, after six minutes. 0v3

Five minutes later Kendal had their first try. Flanker Matty Houghton made a break into the twenty two, the move was taken on first by Billy Coxon, then by Ian Voortman, with flanker Blake Robinson on hand to finish with the try. Chris Park converted. 0v10.

Kendal started to take control, with both Rob Quarry and Jordon Johnson breaking through the Carlisle defence, only for errors to lead to the moves breaking down.

Chris Park extended the lead with a second penalty, after a quarter of an hour of play. 0v13,

From the kick off James Gough put up a box kick. Liam Nicholson who had come on, on the wing, for the injured Jordan Johnson, put in an excellent chase, which caused panic in the Carlisle defence. The ball was picked up in mid-field and moved to Dan Lowther on the left wing, who powered over for the try. 0v18.

The next try was set up by a great run out of defence by Billy Coxon. Finding himself in space, he set off down the right hand touchline, beating several tacklers. When stopped he could not get a pass away, but the ball was re-cycled and Carlisle were forced to concede a line out on the left hand side. The forwards drove from the line out with Liam Hayton coming up with the try. Chris Park converted 0v25.

Fullback Ben Craghill was forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder, with Reece Thomlinson coming on from the bench, and the versatile Matty Houghton playing the rest of the game on the wing.

Again Kendal scored straight from the kick off. Reece Thomlinson took the kick off, and Liam Hayton made a break down the right wing. After offloading he was in place to take the return pass for another break. There was more excellent interchanges between forwards and backs, for Dan Lowther to finish the move off, with a break to the line, for his sixth try of the season. Chris Park converting again. 0v32.

Kendal added a third try in five minutes. Carlisle were again caught try to slow down possession. Dan Lowther drilled the penalty into the corner. Reece Thomlison took the lineout ball, and the forwards did the rest, with second row James Thompson coming up with the ball. Chris Park put over his six successful kick of the half. 0v39.

In first half injury time, Carlisle finally came back into the game. A string of penalties, gave them some ball to play with, after been starved of possession for the last quarter. The ball was moved quickly from a lineout to the wing for fullback Damian Armstrong to score. For a half time score of 5v39.

Carlisle came out the better in the second half, but Kendal were soon back on the attack. There was a long spell of excellent of play with Kendal keeping the ball alive, whilst the Carlisle defence somehow kept managing to find ways to Kendal out. Finally after ten minutes of play, Richard Harryman found a gap and drove over for the try. Chris Park converted. 5v46.

The Kendal forwards had a number of opportunities to increase the scoring, but could not force their way over, with the Carlisle defence having tightened up.

After fifteen minutes the referee’s patience with Carlisle offending at the ruck finally ran out, and second row Richard Sowerby was dispatched for ten minutes on the touchline.

Five minutes later he was joined by both scrum halves, as James Gough and Tim Hughes tangled after a scrum on the Carlisle line, and the referee calmed things down by giving them both ten minutes to consider their sins.

Carlisle finished the game the better. A cross field Carlisle kick seemed to be heading harmlessly to touch, but was kept in by right wing Karim Moualem. Fullback Damian Armstrong, gathered the ball and when challenged got away a clever pass to Moualem to score. Outside half Glen Weightman converted 12v46

Shortly after Armstrong scored again, with a break down the right wing. Weightman quickly converted as Carlisle set off to look for a fourth try for a bonus point. 19v46

Carlisle tried to find a way through the Kendal defence, and were help with a string of penalties, with first Reece Tomlinson and then James Thompson, sent to the sin bin. The thirteen defenders held out until the final whistle.

So after the excellent first half, hopes of reducing the points difference gather at the previous away games, were not to be, as Carlisle put up a much improved performance, especially in defence. A full eighty minutes like the first half will be needed next weekend, at the next local derby in Lancaster, at high flying Vale of Lune.

A concern for the coaches will be the string of injuries in the back division.

PHOTO
The Air Ambulance taking a motorcyclist, injured in an accident on a nearby road, flew low over the pitch in the second half, before landing close by.