A disciplined second half performance from an experienced Hull pack was enough to take them to a bonus point win and further increased Kendal's relegation worries.

The conditions at The very impressive Hull Sports Centre made for an open, attractive game as both sides started the game at a lung busting pace. Mark Ireland opened the scoring after seven minutes with a well struck penalty. Hull responded by opting to kick to the corner from a penalty and subsequently scored the first of two catch and drive tries, Rob Devonshire getting the touchdown. James Cameron added a penalty four minutes later and when Joe Donkin scored after great build up play from the Yorkshiremen, it looked like an exercise in damage limitation for the Black and Ambers.

A powerful run from Dave Barton and a fantastic offload to Mark Ireland saw the away side claw seven points back, and when Ireland added two late penalties to end the half, Kendal took a three point lead into the break. Kendal continued where they left off at the start of the second half and another great kick from Mark Ireland stretched Kendal's lead to 19-13.

At this stage the game became a battle of wills, with the away side attempting to speed the game up and give the ball plenty of air and Hull content to slow the play down and force lineout after lineout, the one area where they had a clear advantage over their much younger opponents.

From one such lineout drive Devonshire scored his second try on 59 minutes, a carbon copy of the first, Cameron's touchline conversion giving Hull the lead against the run of play. With Kendal, trying to get the ball into the hands of their dangerous backs whenever possible, the speed of the game started to take it's toll on both teams with the final quarter consisting of Kendal laying seige to the Hull line, with only a combination of terrific Home defence and poor execution at critical stages preventing Kendal from retaking the lead. One of these mistakes led to Cameron extending the Home sides lead to four points with another neatly taken penalty.

In an effort to get the try they needed to get back into the game, Kendal left themselves short at the back and Alex Piercey capitalised on a quick turnover to rub salt into The Cumbrian teams wounds, by denying them a losing bonus point.

Ian Voortman (reporter on the pitch)

Players