KENDAL 13 – HUDDERSFIELD 9

This eagerly awaited EDF Energy second round cup tie certainly lived up to expectations as a closely fought encounter with a nail biting finish.
Kendal put the first points on the board in the fourth minute when Huddersfield were penalised for coming in at the side of ruck, Dan Stephens successfully kicked the three points.
After missing a penalty in the eighth minute Huddersfield standoff Chris Johnson successfully kicked a penalty three minutes later, to level the scores, when Kendal were caught offside.
In deteriorating weather which made playing conditions difficult for both teams it was Kendal who came closest to breaking the deadlock with centre Renier Bester making a run for the try line but he was tackled just short of the line and Huddersfield were able to clear the danger.
But Kendal maintained the pressure on the visitors and when a loose kick out of defence was fielded by Kendal flanker Andrew Hudson they were able to mount another attack, from quick ruck ball Dan Stephens made a looping run up the blindside and his pass to left wing Luke Ladell put him in the clear and he out paced the defence to score an unconverted try in the corner.
Two minutes into time added on Huddersfield pulled three points back with the final kick of the half when Kendal were penalised at a ruck.
Huddersfield now playing with the strong swirling wind in the second half missed with two penalty attempts before Johnson successfully kicked his third of the afternoon in the sixty-second minute to take a one point lead.
However Kendal’s reply was almost immediate. Fullback Hoani Moore’s intelligent kick downfield was collected by their left winger but Moore chasing his own kick tackled the defender and earned his side a penalty for holding onto the ball in the tackle. The penalty was kicked into the corner and from the lineout Nick McKain set up the driving maul from which second row Liam Hayton scored the try. Stephens conversion attempt was blown wide of the posts by the gusting wind.
Kendal’s excellent defence kept Huddersfield at bay but at times in the final few minutes Kendal were their worst own enemies when twice they tried to run the ball out of their twenty-two instead of simply clearing the ball to touch but they held out to record a well deserved victory and place in the third round draw.