With Richard Harryman and Billy Coxon not available, Jake Bloomfield made his league debut in the front row.
Kendal started well with Chris Downham winning Glen Weightman’s kick off, and both forwards and backs putting the ball through numerous phases of play, looking for an early try, but the Eccles defence held out.
The opening score came after six minutes. Nathan Wooff ran back an Eccles kick out of defence, and when he was stopped, the referee penalised Eccles for failing to allow him to release the ball, and Glenn Weightman put over the penalty. 0v3
Eccles pack started to exert some pressure, and their backs looked sharp with ball in hand, but were making too many handling errors, which ended good opportunities.
When they could get the ball the Kendal backs were finding gaps, with Nathan Wooff, Bob Mataia and Leo Mercer all finding space. Dini Noyo made a good break down the left hand touchline, but when the ball went to Matty Houghton in support, he was unable to finish the move.
The opening try came after twenty minutes. Glenn Weightman made a break to the line from close range, and when he was held up the forwards quickly re-cycled the ball, and James Gough appeared to be going for the line himself, but instead put a pass to Garry Holmes to score. Glen Weightman converted. 0v10.
The second try came a minute later. Eccles appeared to have taken their own kick off ball, but when the ball went loose, Chris Downham gathered it and made a break. When he was stopped the ball was moved right, with Glenn Weightman breaking the Eccles defence, and giving a pass to Nathan Wooff in space, he made a long run up the right hand touchline, but as the defensive cover closed in, he put a pass to Tom Voke, who powered over for the try, which Glenn Weightman converting. 0v17.
Ten minutes later Kendal scored again. The Eccles pack, appeared in total control at their own scrum, but James Gough caught their No.8 as he picked up, and Tom Voke was quickly in to try to steal the ball, forcing a penalty to be conceded. Glenn Weightman put the kick deep into the twenty two. Liam Hayton took a difficult catch at the resulting lineout, and the forwards drove to the line, where Duncan Green broke away to score. 22v0.
Instead of looking for the bonus point score, Kendal appeared to go down a gear, allowing Eccles back into the game, with a number of Kendal lineout throws and kicks to touch missing their target.
As the half ended, Eccles had a number of scrums on the Kendal line, and finally their superior power saw them go over for the score 22v5, which remained the score at half time.
Kendal again started the half well, and immediately had Eccles under pressure on their own line. When the forwards could not get across the line, the ball was spread wide and it appeared that Nathan Wooff would score, but the ball was knocked out of his hands as he went for the line.
Kendal were then forced to make a substitution, with Jake Broomhead coming off to be replaced by James Thompson.
After a period of pressure, Eccles narrowed the lead after ten minutes of the half. Kendal conceded a penalty near their line. This was taken quickly, and Eccles went over for a converted try. 22v12. Matty Houghton was then given a yellow card for the original offence.
Eccles were in control for the next ten minutes, but a number of handling errors, kept them from scoring, whilst Kendal’s problems in the lineout and with kicks to touch returned, meaning they could not escape their half.
After twenty five minutes Glenn Weightman calmed nerves with a long range penalty. 25v12.
This signalled the entry into the game of Mark Carruthers and Robbie Collinson, replacing Bob Mataia and Matty Houghton.
Shortly afterwards, Glenn Weightman made a long touch finding kick. It appeared to have drifted just too long, but when an Eccles centre disputed the award of the lineout, and swore, the referee issued him with a yellow card, and Kendal were awarded a penalty, which was put to touch, but the Eccles defence held out.
Kendal finally got their bonus point try after half an hour. Chris Downham, who was having an excellent game, charged down a kick and quickly put pressure on the Eccles defence forcing the ball to be hacked over the dead ball line, giving Kendal an attacking scrum. With the Kendal scrum still under pressure, Garry Holmes picked the ball up quickly, and when stopped, returned the favour from the first half, giving the scoring pass to James Gough. Glen Weightman put over a difficult conversion 32v12.
Both teams had chances in the final ten minutes, but neither could add to their score. Nathan Wooff made another good run, but delayed his pass to Dini Noyo, and the chance went.
A number of good individual performances from Kendal players, but there will be concerns about the failure to close the game down, and also the difficulties in the scrum when missing key players.
On this performance Eccles certainly look capable of getting victories to escape from their current lowly position, but will have to cut out the large number of handling errors, that may have cost them an unexpected victory.
KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH (as voted for by website readers) : CHRIS DOWNHAM
Score | Team | No | Name | Time | Ecc | Ken | |
Pen | Kendal | 10 | Glenn Weightman | 6 | 0 | 3 | |
Try | Kendal | 2 | Garry Holmes | 19 | 0 | 8 | |
Con | Kendal | 10 | Glenn Weightman | 20 | 0 | 10 | |
Try | Kendal | 7 | Tom Voke | 21 | 0 | 15 | |
Con | Kendal | 10 | Glenn Weightman | 22 | 0 | 17 | |
Try | Kendal | 1 | Duncan Green | 31 | 0 | 22 | |
Try | Eccles | ? | 38 | 5 | 22 | ||
= = = | = = = | = = = | HALF TIME | 40+4 | 5 | 22 | |
sub on | Kendal | 16 | James Thompson | 47 | 5 | 22 | |
sub off | Kendal | 3 | Jake Broomhead | 47 | 5 | 22 | |
Try | Eccles | ? | 51 | 10 | 22 | ||
Con | Eccles | 14 | Reece James (?) | 52 | 12 | 22 | |
Y/C | Kendal | 6 | Matty Houghton | 52 | 12 | 22 | |
Pen | Kendal | 10 | Glenn Weightman | 65 | 12 | 25 | |
sub on | Kendal | Mark Carruthers | 66 | 12 | 25 | ||
sub off | Kendal | 12 | Bob Mataia | 66 | 12 | 25 | |
sub on | Kendal | Robbie Collinson | 66 | 12 | 25 | ||
sub off | Kendal | 6 | Matty Houghton | 66 | 12 | 25 | |
Y/C | Eccles | 12 | Lee Robson (?) | 67 | 12 | 25 | |
Try | Kendal | 9 | James Gough | 71 | 12 | 30 | |
Con | Kendal | 10 | Glenn Weightman | 72 | 12 | 32 | |
= = = | = = = | = = = | FULL TIME | 12 | 32 |
Eccles | Kendal | |
Freddie Oakes | 15 | Nathan Wooff |
Reece James | 14 | Alistair Thompson |
Greg Wilson | 13 | Leo Mercer |
Lee Robson | 12 | Bob Mataia |
Will Parkinson | 11 | Dini Noyo |
George Oakey | 10 | Glen Weightman |
Tom Waring | 9 | James Gough |
Sam Simpson | 1 | Duncan Green |
Conner Thornley | 2 | Garry Holmes |
Mark Greenhalgh (c) | 3 | Jake Broomhead |
Steve Lillie | 4 | Liam Hayton |
Simon Dinovan | 5 | Ben Leacock |
Wayne Elloway | 6 | Matty Houghton |
Nick Spooner | 7 | Tom Voke |
Glen Cahill | 8 | Chris Downham |
Peter Cibula | sub | Robbie Collinson |
Joe Dale | sub | Mark Carruthers |
Josh Boothman | sub | James Thompson |
ref : | Keiron Henry |