KENDAL 11 – HUDDERSFIELD 9

The largest crowd of the season so far at Mint Bridge watched this crucial top of the table clash in league North One between Kendal and Huddersfield and they witnessed two sides giving everything in a very tough uncompromising encounter.
Kendal’s first real attack of the game earned them a penalty in the tenth minute when Huddersfield were caught offside. Dan Stephens made no mistake with his penalty attempt at goal.

However five minutes later Kendal were penalised for being offside and standoff Chris Johnson levelled the scores with penalty kick at goal.

Two minutes later Kendal created the first clear try scoring opportunity. A quick throw-in by prop Billy Coxon, on halfway, to scrumhalf James Gough who in turn made a long pass to Hoani Moore and he set off up field at pace beating several would be tacklers before he gave an inside pass to Stephens in excellent support unfortunately he failed to cling onto the ball with the try line beckoning.

Moments later it was the visitors on the attack when they countered off turnover ball but they were pulled back for a forward pass.
Kendal spent the final ten minutes of the half in defence soaking up the pressure Huddersfield were applying but the defence held firm with winger John Ladell making a couple of wonderful clearance kicks up the touchline.
Johnson missed with a couple of long range penalty attempts during this time before he was successful with a well taken drop-goal just before halftime to give Huddersfield a 3-6 lead going into the second half.

Stephens levelled the scores with his second penalty kick at goal early in the second half.
The excellent defences of both sides meant that try scoring opportunities were few and far between.
But Kendal took advantage of a rare poor clearance kick, on fifty minutes, centre Renier Bester was on hand to run the ball back with determination he linked with Coxon and then flanker Nick McKain took the ball on with Stephens taking the final pass and diving in right at the corner – the referee awarded the try and then on the word of the Huddersfield touch judge changed his decision.

Johnson kicked Huddersfield into the lead again with his third penalty kick after sixty-four minutes.
Kendal left it very late to clinch victory – in the fortieth minute to be exact. Nick McKain just managed to get his finger tips to a Huddersfield clearance kick which was just enough to prevent the ball from being cleared to touch and instead allowed left wing Chris Park to make the catch and run the ball back, as he got to the defence he chipped the ball over the top close to the try line and winning the foot race managed to re-gather the ball and scramble over the whitewash to score the crucial try. Stephens missed the conversion but it mattered little as Kendal controlled possession for the final couple of minutes before the referee blew his whistle to signal full time.

This well earned victory maintains Kendal’s unbeaten record in the league and there is now a four point gap at the top of the North One league table.