Rampant Vale Blow Kendal Away

with Vale putting on an excellent display to sweep Kendal away.

With Billy Coxon, Richard Harryman, Garry Holmes and Bob Mataia, all unavailable, Kendal were forced to re-arrange their team.

Kendal started well. Glenn Weightman returned the Vale kick-off with, a long touch finding kick up field. Whilst Vale took the lineout, Kendal kept the pressure on, and forced a lineout of their own. When the ball was moved into mid-field, Vale offended and Chris Park put over the simple penalty to give Kendal the lead. 0v3.

Vale were soon on the attack, with their pack putting the re-arrange Kendal eight in all sorts of problems at scrums.

A cross-field kick from Vale, held up in the wind, and deceived Dini Noyo. Whilst he recovered the ball, he was forced to concede a penalty. The kick was put to touch and the Vale pack took the lineout ball, impressively driving to the line for their opening score. 5v3

The Vale pack was now in total control, and at times Kendal appeared to be in total disarray, as they struggled to find a way to stop the Vale momentum.

There was a let off for Kendal, as Vale seemed to be on the way to a second try, when the referee spotted an offence, which gave Kendal a relieving penalty.

After twenty minutes, Kendal made a change with Jack Lashley coming on for Jack Broomhead in the front row, to try to deal with the scrumaging problems, but Lashley was himself given a warning by the referee, after his first scrum.

The second try came from another excellent kick, which deceived Dini Noyo, forcing a knock on. The impressive Vale eight drove the scum to the line, but Mattie Houghton seemed to come around, and kick the ball out of the back row. The referee did not award a penalty try, but played on, and Vale moved the ball left, where a gap was found in the Kendal defence for the score. Houghton was then issued with a yellow card, but Kendal had another let off as the relatively easy kick was missed 10v3

Rather than maintain their advantage in the pack, Vale started to run the ball more, and whilst the Kendal defence was not looking as strong as in recent matches, it had less problems dealing with these attacks, than they had had with the rampaging Vale forwards.

Just as Houghton’s time on the touchline was coming to an end, Vale centre Charlie Lomas found a gap in the Kendal defence to add his side’s third try, which outside half Oli Carter converted 17v3.

When the sin binning period ended, Houghton did not return to the field, and was instead replaced by Chris Downham.

Kendal opened the second half, playing much better than they had for in the first, with James Gough and Chris Downham prominent in taking Vale on.

Again Kendal opened the scoring with a Chris Park penalty, after a Vale player came through too fast to kill a Kendal attack. 17v6.

Early in the second half Mattie Houghton returned to the field in place of Liam Hayton.

Having withstood the early Kendal attacks, Vale again took control, but persisted with back play. Kendal’s defence was missing too many tackles, allowing Vale to make ground, and only excellent covering tackles from Chris Downham and Dini Noyo kept Vale out, after a number of weak tackles.

Finally after twenty minutes Vale centre Charlie Lomas spotted a gap in the defence to add his side’s fourth try, with Carter again adding the conversion. 24v6.

There was further concern for Kendal after twenty five minutes, as Dini Noyo pulled up with an injury, whilst chasing his own chip ahead. He was replaced by Jordan Johnson, making a first appearance for the team since October.

Vale kept Kendal under pressure and added a further penalty kick by Oli Carter 27v6.

The referee appeared to blow for time slightly early, but this was to the relief of Kendal, who had been well beaten.

Whilst Kendal were far from their best, this should not disguise an excellent Vale performance, who looked nothing like a team who had previously been on such a poor run.

Kendal will need to re-group, as they did after their last heavy defeat to Warrington, and get their game back on track next weekend for the visit of Broughton Park, who have yet to lose to Kendal in this league.

For Kendal it also highlights the massive holes that will be left in future, when Billy Coxon and Richard Harryman are no longer available.

KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : James Gough
just edging out Ben Leacock

Thanks to the Vale of Lune supporters (at least I hope they were) for their choice - amusing - but I had to disqualify them