Out of Luck

After the narrow win at Penrith last weekend, there were three changes to the team. Dan Shorrock came onto the left wing for the unavailable Nick Carlton. James Gough initially dropped to the bench and then out altogether, to be replaced on the bench by Dan Lowther, and at scrum half by Jordan Johnson. Matt Houghton was still out, so Dane Blenkharn came into the back row in place of Alistair Thompson.

Waterloo had won two of their three opening games, including a narrow win last weekend away at Altrincham Kersal.

Kendal took an early lead with a Chris Park penalty after Waterloo had been caught offside in midfield. 0v3

Waterloo came back and put Kendal under pressure in their twenty two, but the Kendal defence held out. The two teams were adopting different tactics, Waterloo were keeping the ball in hand through multiple phases, but were often being let down by handling errors in the damp conditions, whilst Kendal kicked for position, but Waterloo were dealing with the kicks better than other recent opposition.

Kris Bratton made a good break, but then lost the ball in the tackle.

Kendal extended their lead after twenty minutes. There was a magnificent drive by the forwards to the line, and when the ball came back Jordan Johnson broke away and fed Dan Shorrock who managed to squeeze in in the corner. There was a question whether he had been forced to touch before he touched down, but the referee was close to the action and was happy. 0v8.

Waterloo’s defence was coming up very quickly and was dealing well with Kris Bratton, Ben Dixon and Danny Barker, allowing them to make no ground, and whilst Dane Blenkharn, Liam Hayton and Glenn Chesher found gaps in the defence, they were quickly stopped.

Midway through the half both teams were reduced to fourteen men. Waterloo were awarded a penalty and there was an altercation, and when it cleared, Liam Hayton and the Waterloo scrum half and captain Luke Clifford were yellow carded.

Kendal extended their lead after half an hour. Wary of Kendal’s earlier forward drive, Waterloo had stopped competing when Kendal won the lineout ball, to prevent a drive being set up, but Greg Wrathall caught them, finding a gap and going over unopposed from short range. Chris Park put over the difficult conversion 0v15

This stayed the score at half time, but it had been a much closer half than the score suggested, with Waterloo failing to take their chances.

At half time Kendal made a first change with Tom Moulton coming on for Hugh Davies.

Waterloo got their first score after five minutes of the second half. They looked to have broken through, but Dan Shorrock got back to make a try saving tackle. The referee adjudged it to be high, and Waterloo were awarded a penalty and moved the ball left. With the referee playing advantage, Waterloo No.7 Chris Cunningham found a gap in the Kendal defence and went over to score with scrum half Luke Clifford converting 7v15.

After nine minutes Kendal made a second change with Greg Wrathall going off, to be replaced by Ross McKay. There was no sign of an injury, but Greg had been playing well. Steven Nelson moved back to No.8.

Waterloo added a second try shortly afterwards. The referee appeared by penalise Liam Hayton for a high tackle, but as the tackle had been waist height, it was probably for another offence. From the resulting penalty Waterloo set up a position from where centre Gabe Davies went over, with wing Jago Ford adding the conversion, to reduced Kendal’s lead to a point. 14v15

After twenty minutes Kendal made a third change, taking off Glen Weightman, with Dan Lowther coming on. He made an almost immediate impact, putting a kick from the right wing in his own half into the Waterloo twenty two on the left, which under the new laws earned Kendal the put in to the lineout.

There was another magnificent drive from the Kendal pack which took them to the line, but the referee decided the ball had not been grounded and under another new Law, Waterloo were give a clearing kick, rather than an attacking scrum, which with the Kendal pack in control would set up another scoring chance.

Liam Hayton broke through and passed to Ross McKay, who seemed to have a clear run to the line, but instead passed to Dan Shorrock who was coming up fast on the wing, but he had to slow to take the pass and the Waterloo defence got back to put him to touch.

With five minutes to play Hugh Davies returned in place of Tom Moulton.

When Kendal were award a penalty in mid-field Chris Park was given a chance to extend the lead but after putting over a much more difficult kick in the first half, this one failed to find its target

Just after the half hour Kendal were punished for their missed opportunities, when Waterloo were awarded a penalty, and wing Jago Ford made no mistake to give his team the lead for the first time. 18v15.

There were still chances from Kendal, and from a scrum near halfway the forwards set up an strong drive which forced a penalty. Too far out for a kick at goal, so Dan Lowther put the ball to touch, but put the ball dead, and the chance was lost.

In injury time Kendal were able to make no impression on a Waterloo scrum, with a quick pick up and break from their No.8 Jack Weare, which won a penalty. The kick was put to touch to end the game and Kendal’s unbeaten record.

For a third week this was a game which could have gone either way, and whilst Kendal missed opportunities after half time, Waterloo had done the same before, with a number of passes going astray. Yet again an indication how closely matched teams in this League are.

A free weekend next week, before a return for only the second home game of the season when we host Broughton Park, who lie 13th in the table after suffering losses to Birkenhead Park (24v17), Stockport (13v27), Vale (26v32) and Penrith (45v17).

Your Kendal Man of the Match : Glenn Chesher

OTHER RESULTS

TABLE

We stay in second but Stockport move clear whilst big wins for Penrith and Manchester narrow the gap