KENDAL 35 – ASPATRIA 25

Kendal finished their season in fine style winning their second trophy in two weeks – this Saturday it was the Story Cumbria Cup, to complete what has been one of their most successful seasons in their illustrious history.

However for much of the first half they certainly did not have it their own way as Aspatria built a well deserved lead. Aspatria made the most of a chip up the left wing as the ball was brilliantly kept in field and flipped up to the Aspatria second row forward in the Kendal twenty-two and with the Kendal defence wrong footed by the bounce of the ball close to the touch line he gratefully galloped for the try line to score a try which was converted by Mike Scott who kicked a penalty seven minutes later when Kendal were penalised at a ruck to give Aspatria an early 10 nil lead.

Kendal gradually played themselves into the game and with Aspatria regularly conceding penalties for being offside, two of which Dan Stephens successfully kicked at goal, Kendal were back in the game at 10 – 6.

The final ten minutes of the half saw Kendal camped on the Aspatria try line but all credit to Aspatria who successfully defended two 5-metre scrums and Kendal had to settle for a third Dan Stephens’s penalty with the final kick of the half.
Aspatria however started the second half strongly and were rewarded with a Scott drop-goal in the forty-sixth minute.
But Kendal began to turn up the power and pace of their play and forced Aspatria in conceding more penalties with Stephens kicking three penalties in the space of twelve minutes to give Kendal an 18 – 13 lead. The forwards then turned the screw and when Aspatria had no option but to pull a powerful Kendal driving maul down close to their own try line the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try which Stephens converted.

Moment’s later and turnover ball on the halfway line released prop Billy Coxon on a barn storming run all the way to the try line and touch down for an unconverted try.

Kendal scored their third try in the seventieth minute when No.8 Mark Wilson scored a try from a 5-metre pushover scrum.
With the game all but won and just eight minutes remaining Kendal gave their 5 remaining replacements a run and as they settled into the side Aspatria took full advantage of the changes running in two consolation tries, one of which was converted by Scott to make it a respectable 35 – 25 final score line.