Ian Voortman injures his hand again
HUDDERSFIELD 45 – KENDAL 23
Kendal started their eleventh game against Huddersfield brightly and they gained good field position for Mike Scott to drop a third minute goal and kick a penalty in the tenth minute to give them an early 6 – 0 lead as they looked to keep hold of their 100% winning record over Huddersfield.
But Huddersfield at home at Lockwood Park and fighting for their very survival in National Two North was always going to be a tough ask for the Black & Ambers especially given their injury problems and so it proved.
Huddersfield were awarded a free kick at a scrum in midfield which was taken quickly for second row Ben Harris to gallop up field, he was well supported by hooker James Davies who scored beneath the posts.
Eight minutes later and Huddersfield scored their second try when they fully capitalised on turnover ball for flanker Mark Whitehead to finish the move off.
A second Mike Scott drop goal in the twenty-third minute pulled three points back for the visitors but this was cancelled out when standoff Chris Johnson kicked a penalty for the home side two minutes later. The scores stayed at 17 – 9 at the break.
Kendal already struggling through injuries which had brought their front row under pressure in the first half suffered another injury blow when it was suspected that captain Ian Voortman had again broken a bone in his hand and was unable to start the second half, meaning that Rob Aloe, himself still recovering from an Achilles injury, had to take the field.
Huddersfield who were now playing very well anyway took full advantage of their visitors difficulties running three tries in the next eighteen minutes and gaining the all important try bonus point in the process. When centre Ben Paxman intercepted on seventy one minutes to race in for Huddersfield’s sixth try and with the metronomic boot of Chris Johnson again converting - he was successful with all six conversions – to take the score out to 45 points it looked as though it would be a long last ten minutes for Kendal.
However Kendal made their last two substitutions which saw Liam Hayton replace the injured Richard Harryman in the front row and the welcome return of flanker Jack Walker, who himself has had a long layoff due to illness. Although Kendal came under pressure in the scrum they now had fresh legs on the field and forced the ball into the Huddersfield twenty-two where they earned themselves a penalty. From the quick tap Mike Scott burst over the try line to score with scrumhalf James Gough adding the extras. With the final move of the game Kendal scored their second try. Joel Howse who had replaced flanker Garry Holmes after he had taken a heavy knock earlier in the game showed quick hands releasing flying wing Jamie Postlethwaite up the touch line and he raced in to touch down in the corner. Mike Scott succeeded with his touchline conversion to make the final scores 45 – 23.
