Kendal 24 – Rugby Lions 7

Kendal progressed through to the second round of the EDF National Trophy with a comprehensive 24-7 victory over Rugby Lions at Mint Bridge on Saturday, although at the start they did not have it all their own way. Rugby started the game well and were strong in the contact areas and in the fourth minute of the game, with Kendal under some pressure, a poor pass back into their own twenty-two was fumbled with the ball rolling dangerously close to the try line, fortunately for Kendal Rugby standoff Thomas Turner failed to gather the ball cleanly off the damp greasy surface and from the resulting scrum Kendal were able to clear their line.
As the half progressed the Kendal forwards began to impose themselves on their higher league opponents, and in fact apart from two breaks, which came to nothing, made by lively centre Matthew Goode Rugby never threatened the Kendal twenty-two for the rest of the half.
Kendal on the other hand were forcing penalties out of Rugby Lions with standoff Dan Stephens attempting two fairly difficult kicks at goal in the twenty-seventh and thirtieth minutes of the game, both were wide of the mark, but with Kendal dominating possession and territory as the half came to a close Stephens did successfully kick two penalties. The first was from a deliberate knock-on after a good passage of play threatened to produce more and the second penalty came in injury time when Rugby were caught offside.
Kendal’s best chance of scoring a try in the first half came in the twenty-ninth minute when centre Ian Voortman’s kick ahead was chased by winger John Ladell he was on hand to benefit when the Rugby fullback fumbled collecting the ball, Kendal then moved it across the field effectively but were denied by a knock-on.
A third Stephens penalty kick at the beginning of the second half was followed three minutes later by Rugby Lions only points of the game. Rugby managed to get a nudge on a scrum in the Kendal twenty-two; they were unable to take full advantage as the scrum wheeled round but did at least earn the put-in at the next. A good pickup at scrum saw the ball moved swiftly into midfield from where No.8 Shaun Brady powered his way over to score beneath the posts, fullback Glenn Bond converted to bring the visitors to within two points – the closet they came as Kendal very effectively controlled the rest of the game to shut Rugby out.
Kendal had two chances in the space of five minutes, after Rugby scored, to extend their lead however the laser-like accuracy of the Stephens boot was missing on Saturday with the first long range attempt falling short and the second just to the right the posts.
It mattered little as on the hour mark a tremendous driving maul was set in motion from good lineout possession and a minute later No.8 Rob Quarry appeared from beneath a pile of bodies to claim the try which Stephens successfully converted. He added a fourth penalty moments later when Rugby were penalised for coming in at the side of a maul to give Kendal a comfortable twelve point lead and it was Stephens who rounded off the scoring seven minutes from time when Kendal stretched the Rugby defence one way and then the other for Stephens to touchdown wide out for an unconverted try and secure Kendal’s place in the second round draw.

Gareth Gore reaching for the ball in the Lineout!

Ian Vortman - Breaking forward

Goughy spinning the ball out wide