A Bad Afternoon

After two good performances away from home against top three teams, Kendal returned to Mint Bridge against an Anselmians team from the Wirral, fighting to retain their place in the League after promotion last season. Recently they had had some good results, with a 29v29 home draw against Blackburn, a narrow 18v10 away loss to Wirral, and last weekend their first away win of the season at Stockport, where they also picked up a bonus point.

After unavailability saw a much changed Kendal team do well at Macclesfield last weekend, the regulars were back with Luke Atkinson; Aaron Stephens; Devin Coyle; Glenn Chesher; Dane Blenkharn, and Steven Nelson all returning to the team, and Barney Coxon on the bench.

It was a much changed Anselmian’s team to the one that had beaten Kendal before Christmas, with thirteen new names on the team sheet, and four of the other five in different shirts.

For once Kendal started well and had the lead after six minutes. Anselmians were penalised by referee Ricky Handa for a high tackle, and Kendal took the scrum. No.8 Steven Nelson broke and when he was stopped, Dane Blenkharn picked up to score (I had thought it was Devin Coyle, but the Radio Cumbria report back the view of others on the touchline). 5v0.

The bad news was wing Dan Shorrock had picked up an injury and hobbled off to play no further part in the game. With an all forward bench, Matt Houghton came on and took his place on the left wing.

Anselmians came back and dominated play, helped by a string of errors and poor decisions by Kendal, with their lineout having another off day, making it easier for the visitors to kick well, whilst Kendal kicks were making little distance.

There was another blow for Kendal after twenty minutes, with influential No.8 Steven Nelson becoming the second to leave the field with an injury not to return. A more conventional swap this time with Barney Coxon coming on.

Finally Anselmians found a way through the Kendal defence after twenty-five minutes, with a try from short range. The conversion saw the visitors to take the lead. 5v7

Anselmians continued to dominate, and five minutes later extended their lead. The ball was chiped over the Kendal defence, and not for the first time, a lethargic Kendal backline was beaten to the kick, with the ball retained by the visitors, to set up a second short range try, which again was converted to extend the lead beyond a single score. 5v14.

Before half time Kendal made a third change, with Ben Leacock coming on for Joe Anderson, but this time it was tactical, with Anderson set to return later.

There was no further scoring before half time.

Heavy rain came at halftime, and Kendal started the second half better, but more mistakes and poor options meant they could find no way through the visitors defence.

The visitors showed how to do it, breaking out midway through the second half, and shortly later adding a third converted try from short range. 5v21

After the score, Joe Anderson returned for Reece Tomlinson

There was also a tactical change for Kendal with Matt Houghton moving into the front row, Charlie Lowther moving to the backrow, with Alistair Thompson taking a place on the left wing.

After half an hour there was an altercation, and Kendal prop Joe Anderson was singled out and yellow carded (note to the Gazette - this put Kendal down to fourteen not ten, as there are normally fifteen in a rugby team !).

In added time Anselmians got a fourth try to gain a bonus point to help their survival chances.

Final score 5v28

An afternoon on which just about everything which could go wrong did for Kendal, with the two injuries to key players, and a number of others having an off-day, with a string of mistakes and poor options. For a second time this season, Anselmians had no outstanding players, but worked well as a team, getting their tactics right and kicking well for a position, to keep Kendal under pressure, and taking their chances.

Should last week’s team having been kept faith in ? Unfortunately those who dropped out have also been known to have their bad days.

With the two above Kendal both winning to stretch the gap, and the two below getting points against top three teams to narrow the gap, the challenge now is to hold onto the current top half of the table position. The only home League game to come is against new leaders Macclesfield, but both of the teams below will be played away, so a chance to make amends.

No First XV game next weekend, but I think the Second XV are due to play Waterloo. The Wasps are also away next weekend, in a re-arranged game at Birkenhead Park.

The next game for the First XV is in a fortnight away at fourth placed Wirral, before travelling to Penrith a week later. Both not easy places to win this season.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Dane Blenkharn

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