DARLINGTON 24 – KENDAL 37

Kendal raced into a 27 – 3 lead after just twenty-three minutes of scintillating rugby and then inexplicably lost their focus, with injuries and sin bins disrupting their shape and pattern of play, held onto a 37 – 24 lead in the final nervy few minutes to maintain their unbeaten league run.
It was actually Darlington who scored first. Kendal were on the offensive from the start but when an awful pass did not go to hand Darlington countered attacked up field. Kendal won the scrum in their own twenty-two but a poor clearance kick caught them offside and Darlington fullback Evan Haigh made no mistake with his penalty attempt at goal.
Three minutes later excellent passing by Kendal moved the ball down field where Darlington were penalised. Stephens kicked the ball to touch in the corner. Kendal’s now trademark catch and drive from the lineout saw flanker Garry Holmes touch down for an unconverted try.
Stephens kicked a penalty for Kendal from in front of the posts moments later when Darlington were penalised while trying to desperately defend another Kendal attack.
Kendal’s second try followed two minutes later. Stephens had secured good ball in midfield and then some superb inter-passing between Andrew Hudson and John Ladell moved the ball down the right flank before No.8 Mark Wilson was on hand to romp in under the posts for a try converted by Stephens.
John Ladell got his name on the score sheet when he benefited from another flowing passage of play. Ian Voortman released Holmes on a bullocking run before the ball was whipped out to Ladell out on his wing.
Ladell scored his second three minutes later. This time Voortman collected his own neat little chip over the defence to break out of midfield and release Ladell down his wing and he simply out paced the defence. Stephens converted the try to give Kendal a 27 – 3 lead after twenty three minutes.
Moments later Darlington had one of their lock forwards sin binned for a trip on James Gough as he attempted to take a quick tap penalty. Stephens once again punted the ball to touch in the corner and Kendal’s fifth try looked to be on the cards – except, and this could have been the turning point of the game – Kendal never secured the lineout ball and Darlington cleared the danger. Kendal then had Gareth Gore sin binned just before halftime.
Kendal conceded a try from the restart of the second half when they failed to clear their lines. Darlington left wing Tom Bivvens caught the ball and cleverly chipped the ball back over the Kendal defence, he ran round to re gather the ball and score in the corner, Haigh was successful with a wonderful conversion from the touchline.
But three minutes later Kendal pressurised a Darlington scrum deep in their own twenty-two and Holmes was on hand to poach a second try which went unconverted.
Kendal’s sixth try came in the sixty-fifth minute. A good pickup and charge by Mark Wilson from a scrum in midfield was moved swiftly from Stephens to Voortman and he put away his centre partner Matt Gracie who finished the move well to score in at the corner on his debut for the 1st XV. Unfortunately  he had to leave the field with a twisted knee five minutes later and Kendal were down to fourteen men having already had to use their three substitutions.
Worse was to come for Kendal a minute later. Darlington were on the attack in the Kendal twenty-two where Dan Stephens was sin binned for an infringement at the breakdown.
Standoff Charlie Catterall took full advantage for Darlington when he scored straight from his own quick tap penalty. Haigh converted the score.