Kendal ended their season with a tough away fixture to Luctonians, who had been in the hunt for a promotion play-off place, until consecutive defeats over the previous weekends, against the league's top two teams.

Kendal15 (5) v Harrogate 21 (21)

21stApril 2012

With Kendal already relegated, their final home match of the campaign, had more significance for their visitors, Harrogate, who sat just outside the drop zone, and needed maximum points intheir quest to retain National League 2 status.

The game started badly for Kendal, as they went down to fourteen men from the kick off with flanker, Ben Craghill, being yellow carded for a high tackle. However this did not seem to effected their play, and they had an even share of the opening exchanges, with both teams demonstrating reasons for their lowly league status, with mistakes ending promising moves.

Sheffield Tigers 24 Kendal 13 (H.T: 7-6)

Kendal travelled to Sheffield Tigers looking to pick up an elusive away win on a very cold & wet Saturday afternoon.
After losing the toss and playing with a very strong wind behind them, Kendal went straight on the attack with some good and very patient passages of play, constantly putting Sheffield under pressure.
After gaining good field position & capitalizing on Sheffield's ill discipline, Mark Ireland kicked a 40 metre penalty goal to give Kendal a much deserved 3 - 0 lead.
Five minutes later Ireland again took advantage of a Sheffield infringement, by kicking a second penalty goal, to take the Kendal lead to six points. Sheffield then began to control possession and territory with some very good play, but equally good defence from the whole Kendal side, who scrambled hard at times to stop any threats.
The big break came for Sheffield on the last play of the half, when they were awarded a penalty try which ultimately gave them the lead, 7 - 6 at the break, a heartbreaking moment for Kendal, who had defended so well for 39 minutes.

The second half proved, as it unfortunately has all season, a tough one. During the key 15 minute period after the halftime break, Kendal conceded two tries, with the first one coming just five minutes from the start of the second half.
Quick thinking from a penalty saw the Sheffield scrum half, Alex Drage, going straight under the posts, without a hand being laid on him. Jonathan West kicked the conversion. Sheffield's second try came in quick succession, as they applied pressure inside the Kendal 22, resulting in a try on the left hand side, scored by Frank Wragg, taking the score to - Tigers 19, Kendal 6.
With the rain and hail coming down horizontally in unbelievable conditions, both team traded possession in a 15 minute period, with lots of mistakes.
Sheffield scored the last try out wide, after some patient play taking the Kendal defence from side to side, Jamie Bradley frcing his way over, but the try was unconverted, leaving the score at 24 - 6.
The last ten minutes was all Kendal, as they looked to score a try before the close of play. After some big carries from Reece Tomlinson & Liam Hayton, Kendal constantly threatened inside the Sheffield half.
The Kendal pack worked hard to breach the Sheffield line, with some great offloading, especially from Garry Holmes, who had an outstanding game. With go forward ball & a great platform, Andrew Boardley started to threaten the Tigers' defence around the ruck, with his quick service and running game.
In the last minute, Kendal got the try they deserved, with Danny Redhead crashing over under the posts, with great work from the whole pack, after setting up a maul ten metres from the Sheffield line.
This try was converted by Mark Ireland, the final score was Sheffield 24 Kendal 13.
With the last home game of the season next week, Kendal will be eager to get a victory in front of a big home crowd to end the session on a positive fashion.

Knoxie