Starting the season locally

The development xv found themselves at Windermere for the first league game of the season, following a defeat in the league cup at Workington the week before.

From the kick off their more experienced opposition tried to harry and disrupt the develpment team, but resilient defence from the Kendal midfield of Garnett, Archer and Jackson kept the home team at bay.

Kendal fell behind to a well taken penalty attempt. From the restart Kendal found themselves getting more in to the game, and from a line out, expertly taken by Leacock, the driven maul came up trumps, with man of the match, Liam Nicholson scoring, but the extras just missed. Windermere pressed again, and scored a try through the pressure in the corner, but their conversion missed also.

Again Kendal came back at the home side, but small mistakes, and refereeing decision went against them, and before half time Windermere again scored a penalty at goal.

A half time pep talk seemed to do the trick, as the Kendal side probed and threatened to break out some calypso rugby. A quickly recycled ball in midfield saw captain Glen Archer get the ball 35 metres out. Spotting a gap in the defence, he wrong footed his opposite centre, then put on the gas to beat the cover defence to score an unconverted try.

The next try came from Kendal as well, with again Archer taking a ball just in the opposition half, and chipping onwards. After a bit of ball bouncing and hacking through, both Glen and the cover defence all missed the ball, and great support running from James Mackereth brought a well deserved converted try. With Kendal now in the ascendancy the home side came back well again, and a penalty kicked by Windermere brought the match to 17 - 14 in Kendal's favour.

More concerted attack from Kendal nearly bore fruit, but the home defence stood solid, and managed to turn a ball over on their own line to thwart Kendal.

A hopefull hack up the pitch saw Windermere break into attack, and a recycled ball against a scrambling defence saw their winger in at the corner for an unconverted try.

With Kendal now pressing for another score, again only resolute defence from Windermere, and a few errors gave the home team any respite. A couple of debatable penalty decisions went against Kendal (well we would debate but we're still un sure what they were given for!) And from this Windermere scored another 3 pointer.

With 15 minutes to go, Kendal continued to stretch the home defence, but spilled ball at important times, and a one off lack of disapline, came to the home side's aid, and a narrow defeat to the local rivals.

This was a game where either side could have won, such was the tightness of the fixture. But the development team, although vastly less experienced, new let their spirit be dented, or their attitude, which was very pleasing, and also played some quality rugby, without ever being able to break the shackles of the home team.

Plenty to work on, but plenty of positives to take from it as well.

Next fixture 13th September home to Penrith!!